Greenville in Greenville County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Monaghan

Photographed by Tom Bosse, May 14, 2022

1. Monaghan Marker

Inscription. Monaghan Mill and village were established in 1900 by cousins Lewis Wardlaw Parker (1865-1916) and Thomas Fleming Parker (1860-1926). The mill and village were named in memory of their grandfather’s native county in Ireland. Located on 325 acres along the Reedy River, the mill was designed by the firm of Lockwood, Greene, and Co. When it opened in 1901, it contained 25,000 spindles. By the end of the decade it had expanded to 60,000 spindles and employed 700 workers, many of whom lived in the surrounding mill village. From the beginning, the Parker’s goal was to make Monaghan a model of enlightened paternalism and self-sufficiency providing water, electricity, schools, and a medical clinic. Parker became nationally known for the employee programs he instituted at Monaghan Mill. Those programs, intended to contribute to the intellectual, spiritual, and physical well being of the community were widely recognized and provided a pattern which was copied throughout the South.

In 1904, at a cost of $18,000, Thomas Parker built a Young Men’s Christian Association at Monaghan, the first chartered in a southern mill town. Dr.

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

Lawrence Peter Hollis (1883-1978), director of the Monaghan Y.M.C.A., traveled to Springfield, Massachusetts to learn the new sport of basketball from inventory Dr. James Naismith. On that same trip, he met Lord Robert Baden Powell who had founded the Boy Scouts. Returning home, Dr. Hollis introduced the sport of basketball and the Boy Scouts to Monaghan. “Dr. Pete” also founded the Southern textile Basketball Tournament, hosted annually in Greenville form 1921-1996.

After operating for 100 years, Monaghan Mill closed in 2001. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Sports. In addition, it is included in the Greenville Textile Heritage series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1900.

Location. 34° 52.059′ N, 82° 25.631′ W. Marker is in Greenville, South Carolina, in Greenville County. It is on Ravenel Street west of Smythe Street, on the right when traveling west. Marker located in Greenville Textile Heritage Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Greenville SC 29611, United

Photographed by Tom Bosse, May 14, 2022

2. Monaghan Marker

Marker located on right.

States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Upstate.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Mills Mill (here, next to this marker); Piedmont (a few steps from this marker); Brandon Mill (a few steps from this marker); Poe Mill (within shouting distance of this marker); Poinsett (within shouting distance of this marker); Dunean (within shouting distance of this marker); Slater (within shouting distance of this marker); Parker High School (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Greenville.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related

Monaghan Mill image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, May 14, 2022

3. Monaghan Mill

to this marker.

Also see . . . Greenville Textile Heritage Park. (Submitted on May 30, 2022.)

Photographed by Tom Bosse, May 14, 2022

4. Monaghan Mill

Photographed by Tom Bosse, May 14, 2022

5. Monaghan Mill

Greenville Textile Heritage Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, May 14, 2022

6. Greenville Textile Heritage Park

Monaghan Mill smokestack can be seen in the background.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 30, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 29, 2022, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 460 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on May 29, 2022, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.