Every small town in Spartanburg County was a mill town when my parents were growing up. Back in the day (we like to say) many of the towns had booming economies with plenty of jobs. My parents, aunts and uncles, and then most of my first cousins worked in the textile industry. We called them cotton mills back then, and my Aunt Earline secured a job interview for me after my first year of college at the mill in Chesnee, SC. I was able to work at the mill for three long, hot summers and pay my way to college. I learned much about hard work, hard living, and the importance of a earning college degree in the process.
Recently Unusual Films of Bob Jones University release a new Christian movie that relates the story of the mill town baseball teams. My dad remembers those days and can recite all the mills in the Spartanburg area that had a team. Click this link to read more about Milltown Pride, released on DVD this month. 
While visiting my parents last week, I drove by the old mill at Whitney every day on SC 221. I was surprised to see the dam was still up and running as many of those dams along the Pacolet River have been demolished. Most of the old brick mills are demolished also, or appear to be "condemned" buildings as this one in Whitney. All that's left is the memories and I hope all of my family will get to enjoy the movie and smile again about those good ol' days. 
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