Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
go to the home page of the two RV Gypsies
Table of Content index
learn about Karen and Lee Duquette email the two RV Gypsies sgin the guestbook of the Two RV Gypsies
Alaska visits by the two RV Gypsies
places in Canada the two RV Gypsies have visited
see countries and cruises The two RV Gypsies on cruises visit the USA sites
learn about Brian Duquette's tragedy places before 2008 Links to other RV site RV help for travelers vidoes by the Two RV Gypsies
The two RV Gypsies
at Hagood Mill Historic Site
138 Hagood Mill Road
Pickens, South Carolina 29671
August 27, 2021

USA map showing location of South CarolinaSC map showin location of Pickens

Hagood Mill is an operational water-powered gristmill built in 1845 by James Hagood, although other mills previously existed on this site as early as the 1790s. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.The water wheel and mechanical components of the mill were rebuilt in the mid 1970s, and restored again in the 1990s.

Hagood Mill sign Hagood Mill sign

Below: The office and gift shop at Hagood Mill - with a Heritage Quilt on the side of the building.

office and gift shop at Hagood Mill wooden Indian head

Heritage Quilt and sign

Heritage Quilt sign
Heritage Quilt

First, the two RV Gypsies read some informative signs and had a view of Hagood Branch Creek, earlier known as Jennings Creek, a tributary of the Twelve Mile River.

Hagood Mill trail sign Hagood Branch Creek
Hagood Mill Historic Site informative sign

The first stop for the two RV Gypsies was The Hagood Cabin.

Hagood Cabin sign outside of Hagood Cabin
Hagood Cabin sign
inside Hagood Cabin spinning wheel
inside Hagood Cabin inside Hagood Cabin

Below: The Earthen Oven outside the back door of the Hagood Cabin. Earthen ovens are said to date back to 19,000 years ago.

Earthen Oven

Then it was on to the Murphree-Hollingsworth Log Cabin

Murphree-Hollingsworth Log Cabin sgn Murphree-Hollingsworth Log Cabin
Murphree-Hollingsworth Log Cabin
inside Murphree-Hollingsworth Log Cabin Murphree-Hollingsworth Log Cabin
Murphree-Hollingsworth Log Cabin

Below: The two RV Gypsies explored inside the Blacksmith Shop and Cotton Gin - known as the 1845 mill, an unpainted, two-story building. But first, Karen took two photos of the water wheel behind the building.

Blacksmith Shop and Cotton Gin
the water wheel the water wheel
inside the 1845 mill inside the 1845 mill
inside the 1845 mill
sign about the corn sheller

Then the two RV Gypsies climbed up the stairs to further explore.

Lee Duquette going upstairs inside the 1845 mill

Below: At the first platform, Karen Duquette took a photo looking down towards the first floor, and one looking at part of the 2nd floor.

looking down inside the 1845 mill
26-star USA flag

Then the two RV Gypsies continued up to the second floor of the Hagood Blacksmith Shop

inside the 1845 mill bell

Below: While Looking out through the window on the second floor, Lee lost his head.

a headless Lee Duquette

Below: View from the second floor window on the backside of the building The wooden wheel produces 22 horsepower and is 20 feet in diameter and 4 feet wide. The ring gear is 18 feet in diameter and the two granite millstones weigh about 1,600 pounds each,

panorma of the water wheel
water wheel
water wheel and creek
water wheel Hagood Branch creek

Below: Views from the second floor windows in the front of the Blacksmith Shop

panorama
Hagood Mill grinding stone sign Hagood Mill Historic Site

Back outside, the two RV Gypsies took time to read and photograph both sides of a historical sign.

Hagood Mill sign side 1

Hagood Mill sign side 2

Below: A soapstone boulder of metamorphic rock which is commonly called Soapstone or Steatite. Prior to about 4500 years ago, most southeastern pottery was made from soapstone. It is a soft material that can be carved and is very resistant to heat. The patterns in this rock is actually bowls in various states of production, called preforms. They are just bases after the bowl was finished and removed. This is now obsolete technology. - Also below - the stream and very small waterfall to the side of the soapstone boulder.

A soapstone boulder

Hagood Branch Creek

Below: While standing by the Soapstone boulder and stream shown above, Karen took a look back at the Blacksmith Shop.

Blacksmith shop yard

Below is a boulder that may have been used in the extraction of tar or lye, Both of these materials were very important to early settlers and frontiersmen, they were used in medicines, fuel, cleaning and many other uses.

stone motar

Below: Then it was time for the two RV Gypsies to explore the building called The Hagood Creek Petroglyph Site

Hagood Creek Petroglyph site sign

Lee Duquette

archeology adventure work bench

American Indian dress and a turkey

sign about Petroglyphs

Recording the sites sign

rock art motifs sign

Anthropomorphs sign

Anthropomorphs sign 2

Hagood Mill Petroglyph sign

Hagood Mill Petroglyph sign

Below: Stepping back outside, the two RV Gypsies saw the bridge leading to the hiking trail. They decided not to hike because their next stop was to be a hike to a waterfall. So Karen took a quick picture from each side of the bridge.

Praters Creek Bridge sign

Praters Creek Bridge

view from Praters Creek Bridge

view from Praters Creek Bridge

Below: Heading back toward the gift shop, the two RV Gypsies checked out the grinding stones and signs.

two grinding stones

sign about Jameson Mill

sign about Arnolds mill

Below:The Corn Garden was an important crop to the Native Americans. It was one of their main foods and was eaten at almost every meal. Some corn was dried and ground to be used in making cornmeal. These were really big ears of corn, as shown below.

Lee Duquette in the corn field

a big ear of corn

look below

NEXT PAGE ARROWContinue on in the order of travel to Table Rock State Park in Pickens, SC

OR

NEXT PAGE ARROW If you have already seen Table Rock State Park, continue on in the order of travel to Wilmington, NC