Volume 7, Issue 1- Spring Edition | 2023

By the stroke of Governor Franklin J. Moses, Jr.'s pen on the twelfth day of February 1873, the Town of Fort Mill was birthed claiming a one square mile area for all the residents to be incorporated.

Celebrate with our community this year as we commemorate Fort Mill's 150th Birthday! Keep an eye out on the Town of Fort Mill's Anniversary page for events and celebrations all year long!

February is Black History Month

The following resources are available for you to learn more about the

history of African Americans in Fort Mill and York County.

Watch the George Fish School Documentary to learn from the people who attended and taught at the school.

Visit the Fort Mill History Museum to view the Exhibit on "Paradise".

Visit the George Fish School Monument and learn about the importance of the school to Fort Mill and the Black community.

The Friendship 9 made national news and the “Jail No Bail” tactic was effectively used during the Freedom Rides that took place that summer. In the few short months between the Friendship 9’s sit-in and when the Freedom Riders rode through York County in May, local public opinion began to shift in favor of desegregation and Civil Rights. National leaders of the Civil Rights movement held meetings in York County, and white activists, including white clergymen began joining the local movement.  

Winthrop University will hold a Movements Conference entitled “Movements in a Dynamic World: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, on February 24-25, 2023 and will feature an open plenary session on the 1961 “Jail No Bail” campaign. Participants in the York County movement will speak, including one of the original Friendship 9, Mr. David Williamson. The conference will feature presentations on social, political, and historical movements of all kinds. The conference will highlight movements that have shaped our society and have led us toward a better future. The conference is open to the public. To view the program or to register click on this link.

Sixty-two years ago young local people chose a hard path in order to create fair and equitable treatment for themselves and others. As we enter February and celebrate Black History month, let us reflect on their wisdom, courage, and optimism, as well as remember the statement of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” 

Ginger Williams

FMHM Board Member

Professor of History, Winthrop University

Dr. Clawson

Gold Hill Road is now a major exit off of I-77, and the section of the road that leads to

the Tega Cay peninsula is an often-congested 4-lane road. Back in 1856, however, this area was

noted for a different reason. Oscar Lieber, serving as “Geological, Mineralogical and Agricultural

Surveyor” of South Carolina wrote of “quite a considerable hill … formed by the bulky outcrop

of quartz.” This hill, near the corner of Gold Hill Road and SC Highway 160, was known at the

time as Sutton’s mine, and Lieber noted several veins running through the area, with the

dominant rocks being gneiss and granite.

It is unclear how successful Sutton’s mine was in the late 1850’s, but the work at the

mine was likely disrupted by the Civil War. By 1867, it appears to have become insolvent and

was being sued. On June 2, 1868, a sale was held on the property to sell some of the materials

used in the failed mining operation, such as an engine and boiler belting, a keg of powder, 100

feet of fuse, 1 cart, 3 wheelbarrows, anvils, hammers, and drills. Another sale was held on

December 11, 1869, and liquidated more machinery and materials related to the mining

operation. It appears that the mine also had a lumber mill operating at the site. The auction

listed two circular saws, a planning machine, a cotton press and two new cotton gins, a brown

mare mule, and 9,000 feet of sawed lumber.

Click on this link for more details of the mines at Gold Hill Road.

Megan Brinton

FMHM History Research Team Lead

HISTORIC HOMES TOUR UPDATE: Due to scheduling conflicts that were beyond the museum's control, we have rescheduled the Historic Homes Tour this year. We want to give our community the best experience possible for these tours. More details to come at a later date.

Giving to your local museum ensures that your dollars stay in your community along with supporting programs for you, our children and our neighbors. Please consider giving to help us enjoy more programs and activities and improve our quality of life.

We are excited to say that in January we were able to pay off our mortgage. Mr. Jim Cammann has been very gracious in our partnership with him over the years so we were thrilled when we met with him to hand over the final check. We do however still have some upkeep that needs to be taken care of for our house that is over 150 years old. Please consider giving to this fund to help with much needed repairs.

We want to give a warm welcome to our newest FMHM Board High School Representatives!

They are Cole Davenport (Catawba Ridge High School), Mary Field Spratt (Nation Ford High School), and Kaitlyn Smith(Fort Mill High School).

The Class of 2023 representatives began their one-year term on January 1, 2023, and the Board is looking forward to working with them.

Thanks to all of our Front Desk Volunteers that came out for our Appreciation Breakfast. We are grateful for all the time and love that you show the museum. We thank you for sharing your love of history to our visitors every day.

The Fort Mill History Museum is a proud member of

NARM, AASLH, CSCLHS, SETS, & SFEA