Tennis in Belton can be traced back over 130 years, according to a news item appearing in the Anderson Intelligencer in 1892. "The young men of our town are happy. The stores are closed at 6:00, and the clerks have an opportunity of engaging in lawn tennis." Since then, tennis has been a vital and unique part of Belton's history.

The first court was located in the triangle formed by the railroad tracks near the location of the present depot, and later the famous old Town Court stood where the present battery of five courts is located today. As the popularity of the game increased, private courts began to spring up to relieve congestion. By the mid-1940's there were nine private courts located in and around Belton.

Tennis really began to catch on during the time between the two world wars. The number of local players vastly increased, and Belton's youth cominated play, producing many state high school campions. During one 14-year stretch the high school girls team did not lose a match.

Following World War II the Belton Tennis Club was organized and received its official charter from the state in 1954. More effort and attention were given to planning and programming and numerous local leaders became more involved. The Town Plaza, an area which included two courts, was deeded to the club and the First Baptist Church. The club raised $10,000 from local donations and built a third court. The first Palmetto Championships was played August 12-17, 1957 using the three town courts and three private courts. Sixty-Seven years later the tournament is still hosted by the Belton Tennis Association using over 50 courts in Belton, Anderson and Clemson.

The South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame was added in the Belton Depot in 1983, cementing the town's legacy as "The Tennis Capital of South Carolina." Five people with Belton ties are Hall of Fame inductees: Janie Haynie Hentz, Jim Russell, Fluffy Rice, Rex Maynard and Max Grubbs. Many others (too numerous to name) are not Hall of Fame inductees, but were outstanding players who won local, state (including 33 singles titles at the Palmetto Championships), sectional and national championships.