Pacolet Amphitheater

This charming amphitheater in Pacolet has been the site of community gatherings since it was added to the rural landscape in 1924. The town grew around the railroad that was established here in 1859 and became a booming textile hub when a group of businessmen, including Captain John H. Montgomery, John B. Cleveland, Joseph Walker, and Dr. Charles Edwards Fleming, built the Pacolet Manufacturing Company along the Pacolet River in 1883. Sadly, two of the factory’s three mills were destroyed in a 1903 flood that killed approximately 70 people. To this day, the flood is remembered as Spartanburg County‘s most devastating natural disaster.

By 1907 the factory had rebuilt, and Pacolet Mills became a leader in the South’s textile industry once again. With this renewed success came a continued development of the town itself, and new churches, stores, and schools were established in Pacolet during the 1910s and 20s. The amphitheater was one such addition, built in 1924.

Noted for its unusual concrete pergolas, as seen above, the theater seats 2,500 people and overlooks the Pacolet River. The amphitheater ceased being used in the 1960s, and today it sits overgrown and in disrepair. The seating area is used for the annual Christmas Light Show, and the town is presently looking to restore the outdoor venue for regular use.