Located in the upper western corner of South Carolina, Westminster became a thriving railroad and textile town at the end of the nineteenth century. Established as a water stop along the Southern Railway, the town soon became a booming textile manufacturing village when Oconee Mills set up shop here in the late 1800s. Beacon Manufacturing, a cotton blanket mill, was established here in 1904 and is still in operation. Westminster High School was built in 1924 in the “Mill Hill” section of Westminster – the mill village – to educate the children of mill workers as well as other area students as the town progressed.
When built, Westminster High School boasted an auditorium that could seat 1,300 people. The main building included eight classrooms, a domestic sciences suite, and an agricultural sciences suite. The school served local high school students until it consolidated with Oakway High School in 1983 to form West Oak High School. Westminster High School has sat vacant since the construction of the larger West Oak High School.
I went to the school afterI left the Old Oak Grove school when it closed then went to this school for 2 years had Mrs Harris for teacher then they transferred us to the new school on Walhalla highway enjoyed those years a lot!!
I am the granddaughter of the late Robert T. Burton and Effie Hanna Dixon Burton of Long Creek, and the late Clifford E. Land and Jodie M. Marcengill. Parents of the late Charles R. Burton and Betty R. Land Burton Smith of Westminster, I have four brothers and one sister. Charles Randy Burton, Janice E. Burton, Wayne M. Burton, and myself Angela J. Burton. I went to school at the college street. I have pair of praying hands that I made. If you decide what you are going to with the buildings I would like to donate the praying hands?
Request permission to copy image of Westminster High school for personal childhood memory for my children to see.
We have sent the photographer a note with your contact information, thanks for your comment!
My mother, Dorothy Stambaugh, taught modern languages at this school in 1939-40. She and several other teachers boarded at 211 Retreat Street. Anyone have any info about the school during this time period?
This building was replaced by a new high school on Walhalla Highway in the mid 1950s that was used as a high school until consolidation with Oakway High School. The pictured building was used as an elementary school for a number of years following the move to the new high school.
Thank you, Thomas!
I would love to turn this into an upscale assisted living.
Is this not the old college street middle school?
It is.