Dunean Mill

Here at 30 Emery Street stands the once booming Dunean Mill. In its heyday the Dunean Mill housed over 50,000 spindles, employed hundreds, and included four hundred and fifty homes. The Mill was opened in 1911 but began operating at full power a year later; however, the mill's peak wasn’t until the 1920s, when it was given the nickname “the million dollar mill.” The mill became a centerpiece of southwest area of Greenville, and would only grow as the years went on.

Throughout the 1920’s the mill thrived as a community-centered establishment. Like so many others, the elementary school, baseball team, grocery store, and three churches stood onsite. The site even had cars available for rent if somebody needed to go into downtown.

However, the utopia that Dunean Mill had become in the 20s would not last. In 1946 JP Stevens Company purchased Dunean along with Piedmont and Slater Mill. As the ownership shifted hands so did the morale and impression of the Dunean community. The new owners' biggest change was to housing--selling the homes instead of simply giving them to the workers. This put an incredible strain on the employees: although they gained the title of home owner, they also gained the stress of owning a home.

The homes aged without central maintenance for these low-paid workers and suburbanization kicked in. Workers simply drove in, walking declined, and the area became unsightly. In the 60s, with businesses all becoming independelty owned and operated, Dunean even became more an eyesore.

Contemporary Note: Beth Roddy and Marshall Williams, who lived in Dunean their entire lives at the site, didn’t want to see their neighborhood forgotten about. So instead they’ve created a museum, annual Christmas tree lighting, and preserved what was left of the once great Dunean Mill.

Suggested Readings

Staff. "The Dunean Mill Village." Upstate Business Journal. Last modified November 17, 2014. Accessed March 23, 2019.

Kendall. "#TBT: the Dunean area." Greenville Today. Last modified March 29, 2018. Accessed March 22, 2019.

"In 1946, mills merge with JP Stevens." Greenville News. Last modified May 11, 2017. Accessed March 22, 2019.

Bainbridge, Judith. "Dunean Mill manufactured fine grade of goods." Greenville News. Last modified November 7, 2017. Accessed March 22, 2019.