History of the Cotton Mill District
Description
Beginning in Fall 2024, Historic Columbia partnered with the Mill District Alliance to research the evolution of Olympia and Granby Mill villages and develop an online tour and associated wayside signage. With funding from the Richland County Conservation Commission, Phase I of this project concluded in 2025, with Phase II's expected completion in May 2026.
About the Project
Located at the southeastern border of Columbia’s original city limits, the Cotton Mill District includes the Granby and Olympia mill villages and the Whaley Street neighborhood. Established between 1895 and 1903 by mill architect, engineer, and owner W. B. Smith Whaley to support the Granby and Olympia Cotton Mills, these communities included churches, schools, parks, civic centers, and houses for mill employees. In 1916, national chain Pacific Mills acquired both Granby and Olympia as well as Richland Cotton Mills and Capital City Mills. Collectively, these enterprises operated as the Hampton Mills Department of Pacific Mills until 1954.
Today, several hundred residential and commercial properties survive. Most are more than a century old and form a remarkably intact landscape that offers insight into Columbia's industrial past. The Mill District Alliance is the primary advocate for preserving these historic assets while guiding the district’s future growth.
In Partnership With
Project Deliverables
Thematic Tour (StoryMaps)
Wayside Signage