This Building Has History ™
Name: York County Library
Historic Name: Hardin Body Company
Builder: J.C. Hardin
Constructed: Ca. 1880s
122 East Black Street
This was at one time the location (122 East Black Street), of the Hardin and McCrorey Company, owned by J.C Hardin and Co. It was a successful business that sold and repaired buggies, farm
equipment and more. It was from this business that the Hardin family grew the Rock Hill Body Company on West Main Street. Beside the Black Street location was the large gathering spot known as the “Back Lot”. This area was used by those who drove downtown Rock Hill to shop, eat, and visit cultural facilities. But the lot also served as a central spot for the African American community to gather, park, and walk to Main Street stores. There were also a number of restaurants and filling stations adjoining the lot which provided services to large numbers of Rock Hillians.
The City of Rock Hill began an urban renewal project to transform the downtown in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This included the demolition of hundreds of home and private businesses in the African American area, and also affected East Black, West Black, Johnston, Hampton, and Trade Street. Nearly 30% of Rock Hill’s older downtown buildings were destroyed, including this lot.
Also as a part of this action, the railway lines were moved, and a new bridge crossing over Black Street was built to alleviate traffic jams created by trains. The old Rock Hill Depot building was also razed. A new complex – landscape of municipal buildings was created, including the current Rock Hill City Hall, the Center for Aging on Johnson Street, the current York County Library, and the Rock Hill Police department.
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Roots and Recall LLC, The City of Rock Hill, The York County Arts Council, & The S.C. Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts and by a generous award from the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of The Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina.
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