Miley is a small, unincorporated community located in Hampton County. The Miley Train Depot was constructed in the early 1900s and served residents along the area’s only railroad line until 1957, when passenger service was discontinued.
Andy Hunter of North Augusta, 2014 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent
The Hampton and Branchville Railroad was chartered in 1891 to accommodate the region’s thriving logging industry. The line originally ran from the town of Hamburg and continued through Hampton into Colleton County and Orangeburg County. The line is currently being used by CSX to transport coal and kraft paper to facilities in Canadys.
Sandy Dimke of Beaufort © Do Not Use Without Written Consent
Would anyone happen to know where the Miley Porcelain Depot signs are now? I would love to own one!
I understand that all the Miley signs have disappeared. There was a sign saying Miley community but it has disappeared also.
Does anyone have any information on a headstone right at the railroad tracks? It is so worn, but we can read DOB 1859 and DOD 5/4/1906. We think the last name was Grant but cannot be sure of first name.
I was born and grew up in Miley. My father worked at the Lightsey Bros. Sawmill. I went to the first grade at the Miley school. It was closed and we were then transported by school bus to Hampton Elementary for the 2nd thru 8th grades. Then on to Wade Hampton High School. We moved from Miley to Hampton when I started the 12th grade. My family moved away from Miley after I was born in 1947 but returned by the time of my entering the 1st grade. There is a web site created by the daughter of Loretta Roberts Tuten and Turner Tuten. It has many pictures of the town and people in the town. Go to this web site but click on the menu on the left side of the site under each category to see more pictures and comments:
https://sites.google.com/site/mileysc29933/home/history
My grandfather, Edward Buckner Bowers, was one of the drivers on the M200 Trolly Car that ran from Hampton to Branchville. Not only did it transport passengers along this route, but Lightsey Bros. had a contract with the Postal Service to drop off mail to the small post offices along the route from Hampton to Branchville. I have a great picture of the old M-200 in storage taken by my first cousin, Tommy Brown of Hampton. I also have a book on the railroad companies throughout SC and one chapter is dedicated to the H & B Railroad.
My name is Robert Preston (Bobby) Freeman and my parents were Eddie and Elsie Freeman. I had three brothers: Henry Edward Freeman, deceased; James O.(Jimmy) Freeman; and John Wade Freeman. We have one sister, Ruby Jane Freeman Wooten. We brothers live in Hampton, SC, while Jane lives in RFD (Nixville) Estill, SC. I have many happy memories of growing up in Miley.
By the way, the heirs of Norris and Oswald Lightsey have started to divide up the large land holdings of their fathers. There are only 3 houses left standing in Miley. Two of the houses were sold to the tenants, but I am not sure about the third house. I am sure if you would like to build a house in Miley, you could now buy some land. When I grew up there, no one other than the Lightsey Bros. owned land in Miley and all the residential and commercial buildings. None of us had telephones in our homes, but we could make local calls on the hotel lobby telephone. Great memories.
Dear Robert, this may be the best comment anyone has left in a month or more! We LOVED reading about your childhood in Miley, and we are very grateful that you shared them with us. Feel free to send more Miley information anytime. Your stories are invaluable in preserving Miley’s history. Thanks again! This has been a real treat to read!
I grew up in Miley. Trying to find info on trolley car “200.” I understand it was placed in a museum either in NC or VA. Rode it many times to Hampton, SC. Would like for my grands to see it.
Yes, at one time, according to my dad who lived near this area [and] worked for Lightesy Brothers with the company store in Crocketville off of Hwy 601. The building is still there now; it is a country store. Miley was where the lumber mill was located and according to my dad who worked [with?] Fred Lightesy, it was a booming town before the 1950s where they would pay script, not money, only useable at their stores. Anyway the lumber mill there operated all shifts. It would bring timber in on the railroad and cut the wood to be used or shipped up North. The town had a full-time doctor and a hotel, and those who lived there that [were] company men would have their homes provided for by the Lightesys. So these house were like cotton mill houses that function in the South. A good book to find info is the book by Thomas Fetters called Logging Railroads of South Carolina published in 1990.
The mill was build in 1910. At one time, there 320 men who worked at the mill, and 500 people who lived in the small town with a general store. Also there was meat market in Miley. The railroad line started in Hampton and moved to almost 48 miles across the area toward Cottageville in search of trees to harvest for lumber! At one time after the World War II they were seeking to go west and south to small towns of Luray and Lena, but the Southern Railroad and the Seaboard Air Line fought against this and won!
The company did buy diesel engines in the late 1950s and one in 1967, but they were light diesels since the rail was not heavy duty. Eventually the timber dried up and then the heavier rail was added in order to move coal to a power plant off of the Edisto River owned by SC Electric & Gas. No there were never any CSX trains on this line. They would leave the coal on the side of the track in Hampton and then the H and B Railroad would take these coal cars to Canadys! I hope this explains some history!
Just a query. Three school friends now living in FL, TX, SC meeting in Crocketville where quaint, unforgettable, & kindly country store owner (in Hillsborough County, FL) was returned for burial after her death in 1980. The idea of visiting country store you speak of appeals to us. Idea also appeals to me since my great grandmother was a Miley whose ancestors came from SC & ended up in Thonotosassa, FL by 2nd Seminole Indian War. Do you know the name of the country store in Crocketville? Someone on a Miley, SC site spoke of the Coca Cola chest at a store or hotel (?) in Miley; I remember standing over Miss Verna’s “drink box”—the lid shoved up with one hand, a wonderful, unidentifiable, nostalgic aroma I have never since experienced wafting up from its cache—as I made my selection.
I believe the town “Miley” was established by one of the sons of Robert Miley, born around 1760. I put pictures of the Miley graveyard, in Miley, on Find A Grave a few years back.
Do you know where more information about that lead could be found? We aren’t seeing much in our search and would appreciate any tips, thanks so much!
Lightsey Brothers Lumber Company’s saw mill was located across from the Miley, SC Post Office from about 1910 to 1957. The property is owned by H & B Railroad.
Hey y’all. I’m doing research on Miley. My grandma’s maiden name is Miley. The land was a king’s grant in like the 1700s. Now we only own about 200 acres. I’m trying to find out about Miley. Thanks y’all.
I am looking for some information on the Lightsey Brother’s Wood in Miley, SC. My Aunt and cousin are tearing down an old house and have found some things dated back to 1909. The other day they were tearing down some tonge and groove wood planks off of the walls and the Lightsey Brother’s Wood, Miley SC was stamped on the back of the planks. I am just trying to find out about how old the wood could be, how much they are worth, and any information about the wood company itself. We have never heard of the Lightsey Brother’s Wood place in Miley, we would like to know more information if possible. I thank you so much for your time.
I was born and raised in Miley, and I attended Miley Colored School through the 5th grade. My Grandfather is Mr. Cola Terry, he worked on Lightsey Brothers Farm. My uncle is Buster Terry. You might remember him.
I was born in a house in Miley near the tracks. My father worked for the Lightsey Rail Road as a fireman, shoveling coal in the engines.
My grandfather, James Thomas, was the train engineer for Lightsey Brothers in the 1920’s and 30’s. I grew up in Walterboro, and he died when I was little. We children heard many stories of him hauling logs to the mill.
I grew up in Miley along with twin brother, LeRoy. My dad was employed by Lightsey Brothers and my Mother retired as Postmaster in Miley. We went to the two-room school house through the fifth grade. Not much left there now. Mr. Horace Roberts’ house is still occupied. The original train barn burned some years ago. The railroad is no longer running after SCE&G closed their Cannadys generating plant.
I was born and raised in Miley, S.C. I left there in 1955 at the age of 19. I remember the trolley car, “200,” transporting passengers and mail from Hampton to Branchville, S.C. The one-coach trolley car was equipped with a diesel engine. One could ride the entire route for 10 or 15 cents. I used to volunteer and help the coach operator for a free ride. I am now retired and lives in N.Y. I was so happy to ride on that trolley car called “200.”
Reminds me of Shoals Junction in 1976 when I moved home after 16 years.