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 Springfield and Fort Mill History With a population of about 9,400, Fort Mill, South Carolina enjoys a small town setting. Springs Industries, through the Springs and Close families, created public parks (including the 2,300-acre Anne Springs Close Greenway), built public golf courses such as Springfield and sponsored innovative educational programs in local schools. The progress of the past century has not erased the legacy of the rich local heritage, however. People have called the area “home” for centuries. The earliest Catawba Indian artifact dates to 600 A.D., though it's estimated that natives have inhabited the area for as long as 12,000 years. As early as 1650, the historic Nation Ford Road brought traders from Philadelphia through Catawba Indian lands here. The first white settlers were Thomas and Elizabeth Spratt, who came in the mid-1700's. Descendants of Thomas and Elizabeth still live in the area. The original "Springfield" homestead was built by John Springs III and his wife Mary around 1790. The main crop of the farm was cotton, and John Springs was one of several investors who joined with "the father of the southern textile industry," William Gregg, in 1837 to provide capital for the building of Graniteville Mills. Later on, John was instrumental in having America's first railroad extended from Augusta, Georgia through Columbia, across the Catawba River and on into Charlotte in 1848. Fort Mill was one of several towns that formed along the railroad that ran through John Springs' land. Textile manufacturing continued in the area, and in 1887 Samuel White formed Fort Mill Manufacturing, which later became Springs Industries. In the 1920's, John's great-grandson Elliott Springs teamed with Thomas B. Spratt (a descendant of the original settler) to hire an agricultural extension agent. Their goal was to help local farmers convert their major crops from cotton. The Springs' farm ultimately converted to the production of peaches and vegetables, and later expanded into commercial dairy. Elliott purchased a herd of registered Guernseys and built the Dairy Barn for the purpose of providing milk to mill cafeterias. Today, Springs Farm still grows strawberries and peaches in the Greenway and along the Catawba River, and the farm's produce is sold in the Springs Farm Market and The Peachstand. The Dairy Barn has been converted for use as a gathering place, and is a central feature of the Greenway public park. In 2005, Clear Springs Development Company, LLC chose Crescent Resources to develop a community around the Springfield Golf Club. Crescent decided that the new community should reflect the character of the town, retaining the local style and culture. Classic architecture, plenty of open space, and close connections between the community, Fort Mill and the Springs/Close legacy are at the heart of this unique setting. Just 25 minutes away, Springfield residents have all of the advantages of Charlotte North Carolina’s restaurants, entertainment venues and cultural attractions. Charlotte is a major banking center in the United States and is home base for Duke Energy, Lowe’s Home Improvement, SPX Corporation, Compass Group and more than 1.5 million residents. Via Springfield Parkway, Springfield is just three miles from I-77,
and six miles from I-485. Charlotte-Douglas International Airport is
just 17 miles away. Several secondary roads nearby provide alternate
routes into Charlotte and Rock Hill. The southernmost station of the
LYNX light-rail system, which takes passengers to uptown Charlotte, is
less than 10 miles away. Click here to view an area
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