Olympia Mill – Columbia, South Carolina
South Carolina | SC Picture Project | Richland County Photos | Olympia Mill
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This photo of one of the two clock towers of Olympia Mill was taken by Samantha Keisler of Lexington in November 2007. Olympia Mill is located in the historic Olympia Mill Village, just outside downtown Columbia next to the Congaree River. The Granby Mill sits next to it.
This image is copyrighted. You may not use it without written consent.
Samantha writes: “This is one of my favorite shots of that day. I didn’t even realize the way the sun was hitting it until I got home and uploaded my pictures. It made me think of the clock tower in Back to the Future as soon as I saw it.”
The Olympia Mill was opened in 1899. At the time, it was the largest cotton mill under one roof in the world. The neighborhood around the two mills (Olympia and Granby) quickly grew as workers were needed to operate over 2,000 textile looms. Operating for almost a century, the Olympia Mill finally closed its doors in 1996. It sat vacant for more than ten years, until it was renovated in 2007 to house upscale apartments.
See a postcard of Olympia Mill in 1915.
For an informative overview of the history and buildings that make Olympia Mill and Village a historic neighborhood read the Olympia Mill and Village Historical and Architectural Inventory – requires Adobe Reader
2 Comments about Olympia Mill
December 20th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Olympia was a great place to grow up. My mother worked in the Olympia Mills, and growing up in the mill village was great. Everyone knew each other and every parent had permission to keep us kids in line. Thank God for the Olympia I remember.
February 20th, 2012 at 9:05 pm
The people who lived there cared about one another
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