Zip Trip: History of Honea Path

History of Honea Path

HONEA PATH, S.C. (WSPA) – Honea Path was established in 1855 as a railroad stop before eventually becoming a town that holds a rich history and not always a pleasant one such as the General Textile Strike in 1934.

“They assembled at the hall, they marched up the hill and the song they were singing is we shall not be moved,” Chief Jimmy Smith said.

Workers of the Chiquola Mill protested for better wages and working conditions.

“They started a little fight there and all of a sudden one shot rang out and then several other shots rang out. I had an eyewitness actually tell me one time that it sounded like what we call a nickel pack of firecrackers going off. It was a pow pow pow pow,” Smith said.

Six people were killed instantly and another died the next day.

It was a scar on the town and for 60 years no one was allowed to talk about it.

“I had a grandfather that was actually going into work that morning. He heard the first shots rang out and was on the steps so he had a bird’s eye view of what went on but he would never talk about that. When I  was growing up I would ask him what is this about this strike and people getting killed and he said that’s graveyard talk. He said we don’t talk about that,” Smith said.

After years of being vacant, the town said the Chiquola Mill has become an eyesore. Contractors will soon repurpose the mill while keeping part of its history.

“They’re gonna come in and they’re going to build 80 senior adult living quarters,” Smith said.

Architects will also create an event center and walking trails.

“It’s just been sitting here like an eyesore, kind of like a cancer that’s sitting there and when cancer spreads if you don’t do something with it it’ll spread and it will take over your whole town,” Smith said.

A town that’s known for being small but with a big heart.

“We are a small town but we care, we care for each other, we care for our fellow people here and that’s where the big heart comes from,” Smith said.

Renovations for the Chiquola Mill are set to be completed within the next four years.

Learn more about our special guests:

• Town of Honea Path
• First Responder Friday: Honea Path FD, PD
• Dogwood Garden Club
• Honea Path First Baptist Church
• Merle Norman Cosmetics
• The Commerical Bank
• The Outlett Shoppe
• Upstate Dance & Baton
• Watkins Community Center

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