In 1900 a new cotton mill was established in Chester. The corporators were: J.L. Agurs, and T.H. White, capital stock of $100,000. The mill was called the Wylie Mill in honor of Joseph Wylie. The site selected was the Wither’s property of 367 acres and work began on April 1, 1900. The mill did well until 1912 until it was liquidated. It was sold to H.J. Haynsworth as a representative of Parker Mills. This company ran into trouble and the mill was sold to Lockwood and Green in 1916 and the names was changed Baldwin Mill. In 1920 it was sold to J.P. Stevens and became known as the Aragon – Baldwin Mills. In 1933 the mill was bought by the Springs Mill Company and the name was changed to the Gayle Mill. Springs rebuilt and added new machinery and enlarged it in 1937. The mill was closed in 1975.
Credits: Anne P. Collins, A Goodly Heritage: History of Chester Co., S.C., Collins Publishing, Columbia, S.C. 1986, p. 130-131
City Directories and History: “In December 1933, four months after the consolidation, Springs purchased the Chester plant of Aragon-Baldwin Cotton Mills, a subsidiary of J.P.
Stevens, for $300,000. The Baldwin plant, built in 1900 and known as the Wylie Mill until 1912, was renamed the Gayle Plant in honor of Walter Gayle’s role in acquiring the machinery.” [The Wylie Mill became the Gayle Mill – Louise Pettus in The Springs Story, Our First Hundred Years, p.92]
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on Feb. 20, 1917 – “The Baldwin Mill’s Board of Trustees is increasing the capital stock to $700,000. Extensive improvements are already underway.”
The WU Pettus Archives has drawings attributed to Rock Hill Architect, A.D. Gilchrist for the design of the Baldwin School in June of 1935.
The links associated with this page from the Lewis Hines Photo Collection tell an important history of the textile industry in Chester, S.C., and else where in the South. Click on the Wylie Cotton Mill sites below to be linked with the Hines photo collection. To see the complete listing of images from the Hines Collection: http://lewishinephotographs.com/ Also, images from the Lancaster Cotton Mill have been added for users to see the working conditions within the regional cotton mills.
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Scott Palmer says
I am wondering how Wylie’s Mill Road got its name. There does not appear to be any location on it where there would have been a large mill. The 1820’s Mills Map has a Simpson’s Mill located on FIshing Creek and a few hundred feet from route 223 are the remains of a bridge and old road. There is no sign of the mill, however.
Scott
rradmin says
Hi,
Originally the mill was owned and operated by members of the Simpson family and later acquired by the Wylies. My understanding is it was one and the same mill. However, you can find more appropriate information by contacting the Chester Genealogical Society in Richburg, S.C. Check the listing for the Wylie’s home on Wylie’s Mill Road.
R&R
Scott Palmer says
Sorry, I didn’t know you responded so I’m late in my response. I will contact the genealogical society. I think that there were two Wylie’s Mills because Fishing Creek doesn’t fit the scenes in the photographs. The Mill had a good size body of water which would have required a large dam. There is also a picture showing a rail spur going into the mill and there never was a railroad near where route 223 crosses Fishing Creek. Anyway, it is interesting to look into this.
Scott Palmer