On Friday morning, a genuine irony occurred at the Chiquola Mill in my hometown of Honea Path, South Carolina. A warehouse next door to the mill caught fire—presumably the work of an arsonist or homeless person trying to keep warm—and four area fire departments were called out to save the "historic" mill. The firemen were successful in saving what the town is trying to destroy.
You see, Chiquola Mill was the site of the 1934 killing of seven mill workers during the Textile Strike of 1934. My grandfather ran the mill in those days and was responsible for the killings. (Click here for the account in my book,"Whitewash.")
It is one of the last mill villages left and most certainly one of the most historic in the United States. A restoration could put Honea Path on the map. That's not just from me, but from consultants who have advised the town. Yet, the town of Honea Path won't try to save the mill. Despite the fact the dispatched firemen alone probably cost more than it would to buy the mill, it's currently in a state a demolition. The only reason it still stands today is the poor economy has slowed down the work.
The great irony is the town's police chief has called in the State Law Enforcement Division to investigate the arson. Perhaps, the town should give the arsonist a reward for trying to quickly get a problem off its hands. It's so sad that a lack of education and no sense of history can cause a town to tear down its most precious asset. But that's Honea Path, my hometown.
All photos by Ken Ruinard, Anderson S.C. Independent
