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OT: How many of you grew up in an upstate SC "mill village" and played sports

There was an area where the bars were located along Shaw Street beside the mill village that was called "The Ape Yard" by the older folks in the Poe Mill (my drunkard granddad included). I never knew how it got that name.
I vaguely recall stories of a prison that used to be in the area. The prisoners would climb poles or some structure to see over the wall. The people on the outside thought they looked like apes climbing trees at the zoo.
 
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My old stomping grounds were the Apalache and Victor Mill areas. Grew up near Apalache and played a lot of ball at the ballpark at Victor Mill and the YMCA right beside it. Also played some pick-up basketball games over iat the Sunnyside Recreation area. At that time you could ride your bike anywhere in Greer. Great times.
me too...
 
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at the local YMCA in that community? I grew up in City View and played all sports at neighboring Monaghan, in Greenville, SC. Great memories!!!

I went to Greenville High, but we played you a bunch. Parker guys were among my best friends a Carolina.
 
I grew up in Laurens and played for and against the old Watts Mill/ Wattsville teams.They were consistently the best teams in every league they had teams in. Good times.

No idea your age, but I'll ask...did you know Jimmy Kirby who played for Watts??
 
My dad was so far in the country that he and his crew had to ride bikes to the mill hill to play baseball. He said no matter the outcome they would end up in a fight with them. It explains his toughness even to this day. He attended Flat Creek (Rattlers) high school in the Kershaw area.
 
This thread is interesting. Are there any good books or documentaries that tell more about life in the mills?
 
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This thread is interesting. Are there any good books or documentaries that tell more about life in the mills?
Has no one mentioned Springs Mills in Fort Mill, Lancaster, Chester, Great Falls and Rock Hill, SC?? Springs even had the mill that is now pretty nice apartments right there in Olympia!!

I think that at one time the mill in Lancaster was the biggest one on earth in like the early, early 1900's.

Just curious.
 
Not from the upstate but was born in and grew up very close to several mill villages. “The Valley” consisted of mills in Graniteville, Warrenville, Vaucluse,Langley, Bath, Clearwater. In Aiken County.
 
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