Volume 8, Issue 2- Summer Edition | 2024

Adapting to growth while preserving history: The Town of Fort Mill Finds New Home in Historic Pilot Plant

Nobody did things the way Colonel Elliott Springs did them and when the flying Ace, turned best-selling author, turned industrialist, wanted an office building, it had to reflect his dramatic flair. Having already elevated Springmaid sheets to national prominence through his campaign of compelling but risque advertisements, the Colonel was ready to build a showplace for his brand.

The resulting Executive Office Building, named the “Pilot Mill or Pilot Plant”, was completed in 1952, on White Street beside Walter Elisha Park, and is a creative masterpiece inside and out. The rounded brick walls give the building a distinctive modernist shape and there is speculation that it is built roughly in the shape of the WWI biplanes that Springs flew. The building’s most distinctive feature is the way the windows are set at a 45 degree angle to mimic the viewing rooms of the Hindenburg airship. Elliott’s wife and children flew in the Hindenburg as they returned from the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany and the Colonel was impressed by the observation rooms that allowed unique views if the ground below. To achieve the window effect, the upper floors had to be supported from the roof rather than from the ground, creating the visual illusion of almost levitating.

The interior of the building is a combination of functional workspace and innovative features. Elliott Springs’ office features a conference table that rises out of the floor to join his desk and automatic curtains and lighting controlled from the desktop. Originally, many of the interior furnishings were created from textile machinery and parts. Lamps, for instance, were made from spindles, bobbins, and quills, items familiar to every textile worker. Exotic wood paneling, burlap wallpaper, and curtains and upholstery made of distinctive Springmaid print fabric gave the offices a unique, slightly quirky feel.

In April, the Town of Fort Mill announced that they purchased the Pilot Plant and had plans to renovate the building to house the Town Staff, the Fort Mill Police Department, Council Chambers, conference rooms and training rooms. The move to the former Springs Executive Office Building demonstrates that the town recognizes the historical significance of the building and allows it to remain a functional icon for Fort Mill and the area.

In the words of Mayor Guynn Savage, “Ultimately, the decision to purchase the buildings on North White Street provided the town a win-win opportunity. The needed space was available, expansion for the next twenty years was possible, and the town could preserve precious history within the town.” Watch the full announcement HERE.

Mike & Cheryl Hill

FMHM History Research Team

Thank you to our Duke Energy Partners!

As Duke Energy wraps up the project in the downtown area we want to give a Big Thank you to all those employees and contractors that were involved. This work began over 2 years ago, but strongly impacted the museum this spring. Throughout the project everyone was very communicative and supportive to the museum's needs. We are very grateful to have such a professional group of folks look out for us as they still work to meet their goals for safety and improvement in our community. Thanks Duke Energy! The Fort Mill History Museum is proud to call you a Partner in our community!

Escape to Tranquility: A Historic Fort Mill Property Turned Nature Retreat

Sometimes we just want a little peace and quiet to ease the daily headaches of traffic and crowded stores and constant noise. When Whitley Adkins Hamlin was growing up, she had just such a place. "I'm so inspired by the stillness and sounds of nature," says Whitley. Her grandfather was Dick Adkins, who owned the Easy Pay Store on Main Street in Fort Mill. The Easy Pay sold automobile parts, bicycles, sporting goods and household and hardware supplies.

The Adkins family-owned land that stretched across both sides of Pleasant Road, originally belonged to the Crook family, Whitley’s grandmother’s parents. “Sweet Singing” William Crook, the singing Methodist Circuit Minister, first settled there in 1866.

When Whitley Adkins Hamlin inherited the 30 acres from her father, she had so many good memories from growing up on the land and she felt the call to open it up as a retreat for artists, writers, photographers, or just folks who wanted a little respite from daily life. The property, now called the Adkins Nature Retreat, is wooded with a two-story cottage and a furnished tiny house that sleeps three. This peaceful property, complete with a meadow of tall swaying grass, walking trails, and a petite pond to row around or pull out your fishing pole, will also host photo shoots, meetings, private dinners, small weddings, parties, and events.

She looks forward to continuing to allow this property to connect with the history and community of Fort Mill. "It is my duty... to carry out his legacy and my grandmother's...and maintain the integrity of their spirit, which is to share what you have with others and give...I want Adkins Nature Retreat to be something that can serve the community."

Mike Hill

FMHM History Research Team

York County SC 250 Committee

The York County SC 250 committee has been established to celebrate the tremendous contribution the county provided during the American Revolution. The Executive Committee has an immediate need for a secretary. Please email yorksc250@gmail.com if would like to join this historic committee. Check out the Facebook Page here for updates.

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Thank you to our sponsors, partners, & guests of the 2024 Strawberry Soirée! It was a huge success and we are so grateful to all who supported this event.

The Fort Mill History Museum is a proud member of

NARM, AASLH, CSCLHS, SETS, & SFEA