Reedy River Falls

My Cherokee ancestors would meet at the falls itself to trade goods, as it was an obvious natural landmark for people traveling in the region. They used to drink from this river. Now, caution signs warn even against swimming in it!

Sixty-five miles of unspoilt river was filled with dyes from the 1890s onward: Renfrew Mill (at its headwater), Union Bleachery, Sampson Mill, Monaghan Mill, Woodside Mill, here downtown at once was Camperdown Mill, and below this, Brandon Mill, Judson Mill, Mills Mill, Dunean Mill, and Conestee Mill. As you can imagine, all of this production ruined the quality of our water and our land; my grandmother, who was local, said it was so bad it even changed the color of the water!

The falls are still so beautiful. I think this is the problem--if our clean drinking water comes from other places, and the water appears natural and unbound, we believe everything is alright. Those signs should remind us that it is not! We need to continue decreasing our factory pollution and highway runoff so that one day we can swim and drink here again!