Piedmont Manufacturing Company

National Register Listing

Street Address:

south end of Main St., Piedmont, SC (Greenville County)

Alternate Name:

Piedmont Number One

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NRHP Nomination

Record Number:

S10817723997

Description and Narrative:

Built in 1876, the original Piedmont Manufacturing Company plant was a four-story, L-shaped building that sat on the east bank of the Saluda River in Piedmont, South Carolina. It was significant for its association with Piedmont Manufacturing, an influential leader in the postbellum southern textile industry. Founded in 1873 by Henry P. Hammett, Piedmont Manufacturing was one of the world’s leading producers of textiles. At one point, this plant—known as Piedmont Number One after the construction of a second plant nearby—was among the largest textile plants in the world. As of the 1970s, the structure retained much of its original character, with such features as 3-feet-thick pilastered walls, red brick set in American bond, low-pitched roof, overhanging metal cornice, and curved wooden brackets. Though none of the original machinery remained, the interior was virtually unchanged except for maple flooring that replaced the original pine. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places June 2, 1978. Delisted March 5, 1986, following a catastrophic fire that resulted in Piedmont Number One’s demolition.

Period of Significance:

1876 – 1891

Area of Significance:

Industry

National Register Determination:

removed from National Register

Date of Certification:

June 2 1978

Date of Removal from the Register:

March 5 1986

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