Fork Shoals

Tucked away in southern Greenville County and surrounding the Reedy River, Fork Shoals, one of the county's first settlements, is a region that has been witness to an almost forgotten but proud history. Ancient artifacts, most notably a Clovis point, have been unearthed from these Cherokee hunting grounds, and the only Revolutionary War battle in Greenville County was fought nearby. In the late 1700s, a wave of settlers moved to the vicinity, establishing farms and plantations, schools and churches, and shops and mills. Fork Shoals School was one of the first accredited rural high schools in the state, and several of the churches are the oldest of their denomination in the county. Over time, Fork Shoals became unique for farming and textiles, with many individuals working at both. In these pages, the reader will learn about silk growing, early electricity, local communication systems, and textile ball teams and enjoy anecdotes about special people and places while poring over photographs that tell the story of Fork Shoals.