Property Description
Piedmont Manufacturing Company, a “Pioneer” textile mill in the Upstate, first produced sheeting in 1876. By 1895, four mills on both sides of the Saluda River were sending cloth to China. By 1900, when Greenville mills began to open, President Beattie needed to attract operatives thus building a YMCA and brick mercantile in 1905. In 1908 he erected a YWCA for the benefit of women.
The Union Church had housed three congregations and a school prior to 1900. Beattie moved the structure to Main Street, turned it sideways, and remodeled it for a two-story YWCA. Two employees led home economics classes and events until JP Stevens purchased the mill and village on the late 1940s. The building was moved again when Highway 86 was built in 1948 and was sold in 1954 to a mill family.
This family is ready to pass it back to the community for the museum which needs expanded square footage for proper display and storage. The Society is working to enlarge the collections of mill-related documents and artifacts. One area of current work is digitizing the documents and putting the catalog online. Another goal is to serve student groups and educators as they delve into local history topics.
This project is extremely important for the upcoming restoration of downtown Piedmont which begins in March 2022, including the 1905 Mercantile Building, the 1920s Dime Store, and the 1876 Superintendent’s House. Housing is planned for the mill site along the river including a new footbridge returning Piedmont to the walking town it once was. Two mill warehouses have already been restored, The Saluda River Grill and Venue 88. Saluda River Ramblers, a kayaking business, leads river tours, and Anderson County has purchased land to open a kayak park. Central Rivers Power, owners of the 1889 dam and production station, supports water-related activities.