Six Mile WD

Six Mile WD Municipal Water Report Information

The area now known as Six Mile was originally Cherokee Nation territory. According to popular legend, Six Mile received its name from an Indian woman named Issaqueena, who traveled 96 miles on horseback to warn her English trader lover, Francis Allen, about an impending Cherokee attack on Star Fort. Issaqueena counted the rivers she crossed, naming the area "Ninety Six" upon arrival.

Many locations along this route bear numerical names, including Mile Creek, Six Mile, Twelve Mile River, and Six and Twenty Creek. The legend emphasizes qualities still valued in Six Mile today: courage, bravery, resourcefulness, and determination.

South Carolina acquired Six Mile in 1777. Settlement began around 1800 with Scotch-Irish, Dutch-German, and English pioneers clearing the rugged terrain for farming. Early settlement was facilitated by the Keowee Path, "one of the most popular trading routes in our nation." Initially, twelve families settled here, followed by approximately thirty more.

The early settlers established a tradition of "nobility, industry, and independence" characterized by handshake business deals and neighbor assistance that continues today. Six Mile Baptist Church was founded in 1836, and the first post office opened in 1878. After incorporation in 1910, various businesses emerged including sawmills, blacksmith shops, welding operations, barbershops, furniture stores, groceries, gas stations, and a funeral home.

Six Mile remained primarily agricultural until World War II, when many residents left for military service or urban employment. Post-war cotton farming became unprofitable, and textile mills developed in the region. As automobile ownership increased, local business numbers declined, and Six Mile developed stronger connections to larger cities for jobs, goods, and services.

Education has been valued since the early 1900s when residents successfully petitioned the Southern Baptist Convention to establish Six Mile Baptist Academy in 1910. Today, the community hosts the modern Six Mile Elementary School.

Dr. David E. Hunt stands out as a notable historical figure who established Pickens County's first hospital in Six Mile in 1925. After outgrowing his original 15-bed facility, he purchased the former girls' quarters from the closed Six Mile Baptist Academy for $1900 and expanded to a forty-bed hospital, now the Six Mile Retirement Center. Dr. Hunt dreamed of building "a big, beautiful, new hospital over Six Mile Mountain" but died of a heart attack in his early 50s in 1942, before realizing this vision.

Pickens County once had more Congressional Medal of Honor recipients than any county in the Nation (out of only 27 nationwide), with three of these four distinguished individuals hailing from Six Mile.

On March 13, 1929, a devastating tornado struck Six Mile—the worst natural disaster in Pickens County history. Nine people perished: five elementary students, one high school student, and three adults. They are buried in two large graves at Six Mile Baptist Church. Despite heavy rain and nearly impassable roads, hundreds of citizens rushed to help within thirty minutes, continuing assistance for days.

In the 1960s, Duke Power began constructing a massive power generating complex near Six Mile, leading to projections of urban development and plans for a "dream city" of over 100,000 people nearby. Fortunately, this never materialized, allowing Six Mile to maintain its traditional character. While there have been waves of newcomers, many residents are still descendants of the original settlers.

As resident Bill Holder aptly stated: "If you ever come to Six Mile and stay for a month, you'll never leave. People down here got hearts."