History

Pacolet has a proud history of resilience, innovation, and community. Originally settled in the eighteenth century along the Pacolet River, the town flourished with John H. Montgomery’s establishment of the Pacolet Manufacturing Company in the 1884. As one of South Carolina’s premier textile communities, Pacolet became a model mill town where housing, schools, recreation, and essential services were intentionally developed to support working families and create a high quality of life. In 1899 Seth Milliken, a senior member of Deering Milliken & Company, became director of Pacolet Manufacturing Company and later the mill became owned by Milliken Co. Although the mill closed in 1983, bringing significant economic challenges, Pacolet has preserved its historic character, natural beauty, and strong sense of community. Today, its historic downtown, riverfront, the former mill village and saved assets (originally designed by the famous landscape architect Earl Draper) continue to provide a strong foundation for revitalization.

A short mile from the mill, the Marysville community was established to serve African American mill workers and their families during segregation. The Marysville School, built in 1915 by the Pacolet Manufacturing Company, provided educational opportunities for generations of African American children and became a cornerstone of the community. In 1953, the Benjamin E. Mays Consolidated School—named in honor of respected educator and civil rights leader Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, who was born nearby—opened across the street as one of the first public schools in the nation to bear his name. The school served African American students during segregation until 1970. The facility continued to educate local children and later became Pacolet Middle School educating generations of local children while symbolizing the community’s commitment to education, leadership, and opportunity. Benjamin E. Mays Consolidated School History.