Conestee Mill listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Located in the unincorporated community of Conestee in Greenville County, South Carolina, Conestee Mill has a history dating back to the late 1700s. In 1794, a 200-acre parcel on both sides of the Reedy River was deeded to Andrew Nelson. By 1820, a small community had grown around the mills on the site. Before 1833, the buildings and machinery were sold to Vardry McBee, who operated mills producing paper and woolen and cotton textiles.

In the 1890s, the existing mill building was constructed, and by 1892, the rock dam was raised to its present height of 27.6 feet, creating a 130-acre lake. During the twentieth century, the lake became a site for industrial waste discharge until the mill closed in 1939. It reopened in 1946 and finally closed in 1971, after which the buildings were used for storage and as a rug warehouse.

In 2000, the Conestee Foundation was formed to lead the revitalization of the lake as a wetlands and nature park. On March 2, 2014, the mill, its dam, and the residual lake were included on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the property serves as a nature park and wildlife sanctuary.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons