Anderson’s Mill was once a water-powered grist mill and operated commercially until the 1960s. During its long history, it has been known as Nicholl’s Fort, Nichol’s Mill, and Tanner’s Mill. When James “Tyger Jim” Anderson acquired the mill in 1831, it gained its current appellation, Anderson’s Mill.

For more information about restoration efforts for this mill, visit the Tyger River Foundation.

Many thanks to Larry Dent of Moore for this picture taken in April 2009.

As this local mill played a key role in the agricultural character of the region, it served as the focal point of the community, spurring the establishment of a nearby general store, post office, cotton gin, church, and tavern.

Do you know more about the history of the Boykin Mill? Or have a great grits recipe to share? Write us and let us know! Learn more about SC Grits, and see more Boykin photos.

This valuable part of South Carolina history was entered into the National Historic Register on November 22, 1972.

Many thanks to frequent contributor Steven Faucette of Williamston, who took these pictures in 2012.

Glendale and its mill were not always known as Glendale. The story begins with Dr. James Bivings, who arrived in the Spartanburg area in the 1830s, bringing with him an entire crew of laborers. He started a cotton manufacturing company and built the Bivingsville Mill and surrounding town of Bivingsville.

The mill was profitable under Bivings’ leadership until the late 1840s, when it struggled due to an economic downfall. Bivings and his business partners had a dispute around this time, and he decided to give up his stake in the mill and leave the area in 1854.

After Dr. Bivings left, the mill fell into bankruptcy and was auctioned off in 1856 to a group of businessmen, one being Dexter Converse. Converse later founded D.E. Converse Company, bought out his business partners, and took over mill operations. Under Converse’s strong leadership the mill was successful, and he renamed the town and mill to Glendale in 1878 at his wife’s suggestion.

Converse not only expanded the operations at Glendale Mill, he also founded additional mills and was a stockholder of many others in South Carolina. However, his greatest contribution to our state may be the establishment of Converse College in Spartanburg. He founded the school in 1890 so that his daughter could continue her education. Dexter Converse died in 1899, but Converse College continues to be a prestigious private women’s college.

Like many manufacturing businesses in the United States, Glendale Mill struggled financially during the turn of the century and again during the Great Depression. World Wars I and II provided temporary production booms, but the textile industry in South Carolina diminished drastically.  The most notable exception, of course, is Milliken & Company, also headquartered near Spartanburg.  Milliken & Company remains a leader in fabrics and is considered to be among the most ethical companies in America.

Glendale Mill changed ownership several more times but ultimately closed its doors in 1961. The mill burned down in 2004, and all that remains are the ruins pictured above.

Even though the mill burned, Glendale is still a thriving community. To get a detailed history of the town, complete with plenty of great photos, please visit GlendaleSC.com. It is an excellent resource!

The brick chimney pictured above is all that remains of the first steam-powered lumber mill in the Southeast. Completed in 1828, Buck’s Upper Mill was the first of three sawmills built by Henry Buck. Buck’s lumber production grew steadily, and by 1838 he had established Buck’s Middle Mill. It was here that Buck constructed a small fleet of ships which helped carry his lumber to Georgetown and Charleston. A third mill, Buck’s Lower Mill, was completed in Bucksport a short time later and quickly became a center for commerce and trade in Horry County.

Watch a video about Henry Buck and the Upper Mill Plantation.

Many thanks to Joanna Thurman of Conway for sharing this picture and historical information.

The company built four textile mills along the Pacolet River, beginning in 1882. The completion of the office came later, in 1908. At the turn of the century, Pacolet Mills was the fifth largest textile manufacturer in South Carolina, and it was among the top 10 in the Southeast.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 28, 2004. Among its most notable features are the Italianate terracotta roof and concrete pergola pictured above.

SCIWAY thanks Ann Helms of Spartanburg for submitting this photo she took in 2009.

The mill’s warehouse was built in 1900, with the first of three grain elevators coming in 1910. The flashing neon sign pictured above has become a celebratory beacon for downtown Columbia and serves as a reminder of the Vista’s industrial past.

Many thanks to Shannon Davis of Columbia for sharing this photo.

For more information about the Adluh Flour Mill be sure to visit their website.

On October 6, 1934 the Chiquola Mill was the site of a textile union strike. Deputies opened fire into the crowd of at least 500 people who were assembled, killing six and wounding scores. The workers’ demands were eventually met, with dissolution of the union being the only stipulation of management. In the end the union never returned to the town.

Many thanks to Shelley G. Robinson of Honea Path for this great historical information and picture she took in March 2011.

She says that “The Mill was the lifeblood of Honea Path for nearly 100 years. Until the late 1960s, it was virtually the only place to work in town.”

The mill was established by William Ashmead Courtenay, a Charleston native who later served in the War between the States as a captain of the Washington Light Infantry. He also made his mark as the Mayor of Charleston and among other accomplishments, suggested the initiation of the South Carolina Historical Commission, which in 1967 became the SC Department of Archives.

Today, the mill and its village are known as the Newry Historic District, which is listed in the National Historic Register. The district contains 118 buildings including the mill complex, a post office, a village church, and many residences all within 250 acres. The ruins of Innisfallen, the house of William Courtenay, can be found on the southwest ridge near the village.

SCIWAY thanks Jerry Stafford of Seneca for providing this great historical information and picture that he took in October 2010.

Many Newry residents and visitors believe that the old mill could be haunted. Watch a video of two brave guys exploring the inside of the Newry Mill!

After the invention of the cotton gin in 1793, “King Cotton” became increasingly important to the economy of the South. The spread of railroads enabled farmers to reach wider markets and the textile industry thrived. Cottonseed was a by-product of the ginning process and used primarily for animal feed.

When the boll weevil caused the rapid decline of cotton in the 1920s, Dorn Mill retooled with modern steam engines and boilers and converted to a mill that processed wheat and other grains. Primary products were ground corn meal for sale in local stores, chicken and animal feed, and flour for local farmers’ home use.

The remarkably intact mill on Main Street in McCormick, is significant because it contains the original steam engines, boilers, and much of equipment from the flour mill era of the 1920s.

The boilers were powered by sawdust and wood chips from a nearby lumber yard that was also owned by the Dorn family. Only two people were needed to run the mill. One person fired the boilers and operated the machinery and the second person waited on customers.

SCIWAY thanks photographer Larry Gleason of Aiken for sharing these photos.