Pacolet Quarries
The stone industry has been
important to the Pacolet area since prehistoric times.
The American Indians used the local soapstone quarries long
before the coming of the white Europeans. The Indians
also used naturally occurring field stone to make fish
traps like those in the Broad River just outside the
town of Carlisle below Union. The European pioneers
continued this practice. They used field stone for
building their chimneys, foundations for their houses
and barns, to line their wells and in small dams. It was
eventually discovered that under much of the Pacolet
area, there was a plentiful supply of granite. The
granite was produced deep in the earth’s crust as molten
rock and minerals cooled millions of years ago.
The quarrying of the granite became a commercial venture
in Pacolet in 1894. Today, we do not think of many
people in the Pacolet vicinity making their living as
stone masons and stone cutters. However, in the very
interesting recollection of life
in Pacolet in 1909, the author describes many
Pacolet men employed in these trades. One very visible
sight of this stonework profession is in the stone walls
that can be found throughout the mill village beside the
sidewalks and along the roads. We take these stone
structures for granted today. However, if these had to
be built at today’s wages and prices, the replacement
cost would be tremendous.
Examples of stone walls found through out Pacolet
Mills.
Some of the granite from the quarry was used to build
the South Carolina State House in Columbia. The original
quarry operated until 1929 when it was closed. It did
not operate again until 1950 when it was bought by The
Campbell Limestone Company of Gaffney. Click on this link for a
satellite photo of the present quarry and the location
of the old one. When the quarry
operations stopped, the original quarry pit filled with
water. This was used for a "swimming hole" by local
folks but it was dangerous. Several people were drowned
in the old quarry. The following photo shows the pit .
In 1968, Campbell Limestone merged with Vulcan Materials
of Birmingham, Alabama. Vulcan still operates the quarry
to this day. Vulcan is a huge company. The Pacolet
operation is engaged in surface mining and the crushing
of granite stone. Their products are used in
construction projects of all kinds.
A second company that has a facility at the quarry is
the Sloan Construction Company. They buy and use crushed
stone for the construction industry.
Another company was started at the quarry in 1957 as
Paco Products. Over time and reorganizations it became
Spartan Minerals Corporation that is still in operation.
They process, sell and ship feldspaphic sand to
ceramic and glass companies. They also grind and sell
mica to other specialty markets.
The operations in the quarry are very impressive and
done on a large scale. The following photograph was
taken in the Vulcan Quarry during a tour in 2007. Click on this link to see
more photos taken in the quarry that will give you a
sense of how large the quarry is.
This web site has
been started as a public service to share the story of
Pacolet.