Beaumont Mill Historic District

History

The Beaumont Mill was one of many mills designed during the great boom period in the Southern Textile industry from 1890 to 1920. In 1890, J.H. Sloan set out to raise subscription on stock for a cotton mill that would provide additional employment for the inhabitants of the village and would utilize the waste products for the mills already established by making them into ropes, bags, and cotton bats. In a few hours, he secured more than the $50,000 he had set as his goal.

Beaumont Manufacturing Company was built in 1890 and was originally equipped with 3,072 spindles, 640 twisters, and 40 bag looms. Those who filed for the original charter included: J.H. Sloan (president), John B. Cleveland, Joseph Walker (original landowner), H.A. Ligon, C.E. Fleming, and Vardry McBee. Sloan told a newspaper in Charleston that he wanted to bring "renewed prosperity and life to Spartanburg." The initial products produced included carpet warps, seamless bags that were used for grain and corn, and twine.

Design Guidelines

The manual available on the right side of this page is divided into several parts for easier downloading and saving. It has been developed to provide guidance for improvements made to properties located in the Beaumont Mill Village. The guidelines apply to property owners in the district as they plan to alter the exterior of their homes either by new construction, an addition, or alteration. It will be used by City staff and the Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) when plans are reviewed and will guide their decisions to approve proposed alterations and additions.

These guidelines will help to protect the beauty of the Beaumont Mill Village and improve the quality of homes and streetscapes in the village. One goal of these guidelines is to preserve existing original materials, site, and residential forms that reflect the heritage and history of this historic community.

These guidelines are to inform property owners and tenants about buildings in the village, to protect the distinctive characteristics of the buildings and how to maintain them. They will also assist property owners to understand how decisions should be made about repairs, rehabilitation, maintenance and new construction by the use of historically appropriate materials and practices. Ultimately, these guidelines will protect the qualities of the buildings to reflect the heritage of the Beaumont Mill Village through the use of historically appropriate materials and practices.

The Beaumont Mill Village consists of 15 major types of houses over three time periods and includes 317 total properties.