19th century Horse Creek Valley

1841 scc&rr schedule

in order divert traffic going river more accessible port @ savannah, south carolina rail road completed hamburg charleston in 1833. @ 136 miles (219 km) in length, @ time longest railroad in world, , ran on published regular schedules exclusive use of steam power (brown 1871 , fetters 2008).

horse creek s power potential attracted industries area. according 1885 survey, horse creek crosses fall line, , has rapid fall, offering excellent advantages power... offers example of large amount of power can obtained @ small expense comparatively insignificant stream if developed. (us department of interior 1885: 132-133) 1883 south carolina survey noted 1807 horsepower developed, , capacity perhaps one-third more (sc state board of agriculture 1883: 206).

the first horse creek textile mill, located @ vaucluse in 1830, produced disappointing results. noted william gregg, causes included insufficient capital investment, excessive diversity of products, lack of widespread marketing area, , insufficient hands-on management (gregg 1845 in tompkins 1899). gregg, great proponent of southern industrialization, built landmark mill embodying ideas @ graniteville in 1845. while gregg s success appreciated, contradicted southern preference agrarian slave economy, , not imitated several decades.

other industries taking advantage of horse creek water power paper mill @ bath , pottery works above vaucluse. in 1860, benjamin franklin landrum pottery works reportedly manufactured 40,000 gallons capacity of stoneware annually, 3 employees , 1 hp water turbine. in same year, lewis j. miles pottery works manufactured 50,000 gallons 13 employees , 4 hp turbine. famous potter dave worked there late 1863. in 1880, same establishment had 35 hp water turbine (baldwin 1995:95-99).

the charlotte, columbia , augusta railroad built through valley in late 1860s. after civil war , reconstruction, textile industry entered period of great expansion (harper s weekly article). 1900, industrial establishments included graniteville, seminole, vaucluse, ... mills , employment along valley ... (kohn 1907).