Olympia-Granby in Columbia in Richland County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Linthead 2022
Diana Farfαn
Greenville, SC
Linthead 2022
Ceramic, cotton, plywood
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, more than 30 families from Medellin, Colombia, then the most vital textile region in Latin America, arrived in Greenville, recruited by the mills for their expertise as machine operators and loom technicians. Not part of the existing social fabric, these families were separated from home for years, the women working tirelessly 12 hours a day, six days a week in social isolation compounded by language barriers and racism. These Latino women wove not only cotton, but also nests from which they raised their families and made new lives as the city flourished and prospered until the day when the thread was snipped, and the cotton textile industry died out.
The guard house installations are part of 701 Center for Contemporary Art Mill District Public Art Trail. The project is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation at Central Carolina Community Foundation, the City of Columbia and Richland County. Additional support provided by PMC Property Group.
Erected 2022 by 701 Center for Contemporary
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Hispanic Americans • Immigration • Industry & Commerce • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 2022.
Location. 33° 58.956′ N, 81° 2.335′ W. Marker is in Columbia, South Carolina, in Richland County. It is in Olympia-Granby. It is at the intersection of Heyward Street and Tryon Street, on the right when traveling east on Heyward Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 401 Heyward St, Columbia SC 29201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Midlands. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once 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: Granby Cotton Mills (here, next to this marker); Olympia Cotton Mills
Credits. This page was last revised on January 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 23, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 53 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 23, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
