The Graniteville Study Site highlights a typical
mill town along the boundary between the Sandhills and the Piedmont regions
of South Carolina. The textile mills which developed in and near
Graniteville relied on water power for running the machinery and required
both the damming up of streams to create small reservoirs and the construction
of a canal system for delivering water to the factory site. Ponds
were also constructed to handle wastewater from the plants. Often
this water was polluted with a variety of hazardous wastes. The Langley
Pond Superfund Site in Graniteville is a prime example of the types of
environmental problems which can result from improper disposal of industrial
waste. Public access areas are located along the reservoir north
of town and along Langley Pond south of the old mill site. Kaolin
mining is also a major industry in the Graniteville area. Some of
the abandoned mines are now used for landfills, and site restoration is
a major concern.
Background Information Description of Landforms Characteristic Landforms
of the Sandhills / Midlands
Geographic Features of Special
Interest
Fall Line Zone
Sandhills Soils
Influence of Topography
on Historical Events and Cultural Trends Landforms Influenced the
Development of Cities
Choosing a New Site for
the Capital
Laying Out the City of Columbia
The Columbia Canal and Water
Transportation
The Secession Convention
and the Onset of the Civil War
Sherman's March Through
South Carolina
The Fall of Columbia
Preservation of Historic
Homes
Natural Resources, Land
Use, and Environmental Concerns Climate and Water Resources
Agriculture and Forestry
Carolina Sandhills National
Wildlife Refuge
Unique Natural Habitats
in the Sandhills
Clay Deposits
The Pottery Industry
Study Site 4B--Graniteville (Mining Area) Brief Site Description Introduction
William Gregg and Manufacturing
Kaolin Mining and Environmental
Restoration
Activity 4B-1: Impact of
Mining Activity 4B-2: Textile
Mill Town
