About Us

 The Fork Shoals Historical Society was created for charitable, literary, and educational purposes to preserve the history of Fork Shoals and surrounding areas of southern Greenville County. It was formally organized in November 2012 and incorporated with the State of South Carolina on May 20, 2013. Fork Shoals Historical Society is a recognized 501c3 charitable organization dedicated to preserving the past of this community.

Background: Fork Shoals/Reedy Fork was the second post office established in Greenville County, not long after these Cherokee hunting grounds had been surrendered to expansion by English settlements and pioneers in the late 1700s (Treaty of DeWitt's Corner). The post office moved location numerous times in the 1800s and eventually was moved to Pelzer, SC.

Mills, farmers, merchants, and a few plantations operated during most of the 1800s. Cedar Falls became the power hub of the community with grist mill, saw mill, store, and electrical generator. One mile upstream, a cotton mill operated at Fork Shoals, named for the location, a fork and shoals in the Reedy River.

The recent Greenville County Recreation Department park project located on the Reedy River at Cedar Falls was a catalyst to bringing local historical photographs and information from long-term residents and local citizens, which were needed for signage at the ruins of the mill and electrical generator on the site.

So many wonderful long term residents gathered and shared their histories of the past 235 years, a community effort to preserve and share the past of this unique area of Greenville County was begun. Some of the best photographs shared are published in our Images of America Fork Shoals book, Arcadia Publishing. We have so much work still to do to share the historical information and other fantastic photographs that were not included in that photographic journal. The story of Fork Shoals continues. Although the mill shut down, the school, churches, and people of the community have a deep respect for their past and future.

Please visit us again soon as updates and information will continue to be added to our site!

Mission Statement:

The purpose of the Fork Shoals Historical Society is:

• To research, archive, and encourage ongoing preservation of historical information relevant to the local area of Fork Shoals and surrounding communities in southern Greenville County in South Carolina;

• To establish, publish, promote, and continue public access to the historical archives for all future generations;

• To sponsor programs and encourage educational activities relating to the history of the local area of Fork Shoals and surrounding communities;

• To pursue establishment of a museum for Fork Shoals history.

• To support preserving, restoring, and repurposing historic resources in southern Greenville County.

BRIEF AREA HISTORY AND OUR PROJECTS TO DATE:

 1775 - Battle of the Great Canebrake was fought along the banks of the Reedy River.

1777 - Treaty of DeWitt’s Corner opened a large area of the upstate to settlers. Until then this area was Cherokee hunting grounds; they used the rock shoals of the Reedy Rivers as a hunting campsite and a way to ford the river. The areas of Conestee upriver, Dunklin downstream, and Cedar Falls developed rapidly. 

Cedar Falls became an important mercantile center.

1870 - A cotton mill started operation at the confluence of Huff Creek and Reedy River and the village of Fork Shoals grew.

1892 - Conestee Dam was constructed to its present height creating a 130-acre lake on the Reedy River.

August 25, 1908 - Several days of heavy rain caused the Conestee dam to break. The catastrophic flood downstream flooded the mill at Fork Shoals and devastated Cedar Falls. Mr. Nesbitt owner of the store and mill sold his remaining holdings, and operations at Cedar Falls closed. The flood damaged the power plant at Cedar Falls.  Cedar Falls never recovered. But the mill at Fork Shoals continued to operate until 1978; it is now a private residence.

June 26, 1996 – A pipeline owned by Colonial Pipeline across the Reedy River ruptured upstream from Fork Shoals releasing over 1 million gallons of diesel fuel into the river. It was one of the largest inland oil spills in US history and disastrous for the Reedy River in the southern part of the county. Previously it was one of the healthier reaches of the Reedy.

2000 - Colonial Pipeline was sued by the US Justice Dept. and almost 2 ½ years later agrees to $34 million EPA fine for Clean Water Act violations.

2009 - Greenville County buys 95 acres to build Cedar Falls Park using 2.7 million of pipeline money. Always a local treasure, the shoals are now easily accessed by the public. Information signage provide the history of the remaining historic foundations of the mill and power plant, and there are now nature trails, a playground, and picnic shelter.

2010 - The Greenville County Recreation Department reached out to people in the Fork Shoals community for history to place on information signage in Cedar Falls Park. Many families remain on ancestors’ lands in this rural area, and a great amount of local history surfaced from family archives. Cedar Falls was an important mercantile village.

2012 – Fork Shoals Historical Society was organized by this community effort and published a book of local history – Images of America Fork Shoals Arcadia Publishing Company.

2014 – Fork Shoals Historical Society became a recognized 501c3 charitable organization.

April 7, 2016 – Dedication of historic marker for Fork Shoals School provided by the Fork Shoals Historical Society and Greenville County.

Nov 20, 2016 - Dedication of historic marker for Fork Shoals Baptist Church provided by Fork Shoals Historical Society.

2018 - FSHS contributed to the restoration of Holly Spring School, the oldest African American school building in Greenville County dating back to the early 1890's.  Support came from several churches and community volunteers donating funds, materials and services for restoring the small school building. Preservation South guided the restoration project. A celebration was held in October 2019 after the restoration was complete.

2019 – FSHS paid for tree removal and restoration of the Donaldson/Nimrod Cemetery on Oliver Scott's Mill Rd. It is one of Greenville County’s oldest family owned cemeteries dating back to about the 1830’s.

October 24, 2019 – The McCullough family donated the historic McCullough/Cedarhurst house, circa 1812, to Fork Shoals Historical Society. During the year, FSHS was approved for a matching funds grant from the State Historic Preservation Office to develop a preservation plan for the building. It is the oldest brick building in the county and an important and beloved historic landmark.

2023 - 2024 - Masonry repairs have begun on the McCullough House thanks to your donations and some state funding! We are excited to see progress on restoring the house to its original circa 1812 appearance. We continue to raise funds to complete this enormous project, while supporting other local historic preservation/education projects. Thank you for supporting us!