One of the “gems” of the South Carolina Upstate can be found three miles north of Pickens. Located just off Highway 178, on Hagood Mill Road, this 1845 gristmill served many generations of rural farm families until its’ closing in the mid-1960’s. In 1972 Hagood Mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 1973 the mill and surrounding property were donated to the Pickens County Museum Commission by the J. Hagood Bruce family. Thus began a long off-again, on-again process of restoration culminating with the mill being “back in business” on a monthly basis around Thanksgiving 1997 with the help of present miller, Alan Warner.

Since that time the mill has operated, rain or shine, the third Saturday of every month. Within a year of this new beginning, and to extend the programming of the Pickens County Museum of Art & History, these third Saturday events become mini-festivals of traditional arts, folklife and music. Presently there are more than twenty regular demonstrators who share their skills in milling, blacksmithing, moonshining, spinning, weaving, quilting, woodcarving, flintknapping and more. Additionally, most months have an acoustic musical entertainment theme ranging from bluegrass to blues to gospel. Numerous SC Folk Heritage Award winners have been featured and recorded for the museum’s archives. Autumn offerings at Hagood Mill have become a “tradition” with the September Fiddlin’ Convention, October Storytelling Festival and November Native American Festival drawing a large crowd each year.

The mill site has grown physically too. When first re-opened in 1997, there was just the mill building with its 20 foot overshot waterwheel and a small barn. Since that time, the barn was remodeled into a family farm exhibit, a visitor building with gift shop was constructed, a three-quarter mile nature trail was developed, two historic Pickens County log cabins were relocated to the site, a blacksmith shop was built, a moonshine display was added and a large outdoor stage as well. Recently, a complete cotton ginning operation was donated and brought to the site for restoration and the county’s last steel bridge, the 64 ft. Prater’s Creek Bridge, was relocated to the back of the property for restoration and eventual placement over the creek to allow for expansion and development of the several acres on that side currently inaccessible by vehicle.

In 2003, perhaps the most exiting development at the site occurred when Native American petroglyphs (rock carvings) were discovered on a large, thirty foot long rock near the mill. Difficult to see and easy to miss in the bright sunshine, these ancient artworks “stand up” when lit from the side at night. They were found by a team member of the archaeologist Tommy Charles, while conducting a ten-year “SC Rock Art Survey” of the state for the SC Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology.

In his survey, Mr. Charles has documented over 300 petroglyph sites in the state, with the majority being found in the upstate counties of Oconee, Pickens and Greenville. Photos of some of the rock art can be found in the Native American exhibit at the Pickens County Museum and in the Pickens County room of the Table Rock State Park Visitor’s Center. Dating of this rock art is impossible. As the Cherokee came to this area around 900 years ago, some of it could have been made by them…or it could be much older and made by predecessors of the Cherokee. Interpretation is also futile. While some images and locations could imply “trail markers,” they are messages meant for someone else at another time. Many could also be “doodles” and “graffiti.” Subjects range from a small number of animals to circles, squares and triangles to strange shapes and to a very few number of human “stick-men.” This is where the Hagood Mill Petroglyph Site weighs in. It is, according to Mr. Charles, “one of the most impressive petroglyph sites (38PN129) discovered in South Carolina. There are seventeen human figures plus a number of abstract motifs carved on the host rock. The human figures represent all but two that have been recorded in South Carolina.”

At present, the Hagood Mill petroglyphs are covered with plastic and dirt to protect them until a 30 ft. by 40 ft. building can by constructed over them for their permanent protection and display. Again, according to Mr. Charles, “It (Hagood Mill) is the only petroglyph site recorded in the state that is located on publicly owned property and accessible to all citizens. By virtue of its ownership and location on a National Register Property, it is at present our state’s only petroglyph site that meets the criteria for long-term preservation and that might simultaneously serve the public as an educational center for Native American rock art.”

While housing and preserving the mill site rock art, this center would also be a gallery for the display of photos of the other petroglyphs in the SC Rock Art Survey, many of which are a long walk up the side of a mountain. It is hoped to start construction on the rock art center in 2007.

In addition to the “3rd Saturday” events, the Hagood Mill Historic Site & Folklife Center is now open Wed. through Sat. from 10:00 to 4:00 to tour the grounds and to pick up those “mill products.” For more information contact Hagood Mill at 864-898-2936 or the Pickens County Museum at 864-898-5963.