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Picture: Grady Allen 05/19/2006
The original mill was thought to have have been owned by William Jennings in 1793, then bought by Benjamin Hagood in 1823. The present mill on Hagood Branch (formerly known as Jennings Creek), a tributary of the North Fork of Twelvemile Creek, was built by Benjamin's son, James, about 1845.
John Hagood inherited the mill in 1865, and in turn,passed it on to Esther Benson Hagood in 1879. Another James Hagood was next in line in 1891; then eventually in 1958, J. Hagood Bruce became to owner.
The dam is 1650' upstream, water is pummped into an earthen headrace, the last 80' utilizing a wooden flume. The 20' diameter wooden waterwheel has an 18' ring gear, is 4' wide and develops 22 HP. Restoration began in the 1970's and continued through the 1980's into the 1990's. Two granite millstones weigh about 3/4 ton apiece.
Hagood Mill has long been a gathering place for farmers and other locals to "catch up" on community new, politics, weather, the season's crops, and other items of interest. It has also been an important cog in the molding of and the holding of a community together.
Grinding for area farmers discontinued in 1966 and the mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The mill and it's associated land area was donated to the Pickens County Museums in 1973.
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Take US 178 north from Pickens for 3.2-4 miles, turn left on Hagood Mill Road and the mill is almost immediately on the right just past Hagood Branch of North Fork Twelvemile Creek. |
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"...the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them."
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this web site are Copyright 2003 by Jim Miller - All rights reserved
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