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The purpose of the South Carolina Picture Project is to celebrate the beauty of the Palmetto State while preserving some of its vanishing landscapes.

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Salters Cotton Gin

SC PICTURE PROJECT 3 Comments

SC Picture Project / Williamsburg County / Salters Cotton Gin

Cotton grows prolifically in Williamsburg County; in fact, the county seat, Kingstree, boasts one of the largest cotton markets in the country. With the cash crop thriving in this part of the Pee Dee, cotton gins such as this one in Salters can be seen throughout the county.

Salters Cotton Gin

Linda Brown of Kingstree, 2013 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Though cotton remains a viable cash crop in Salters and other nearby communities, this cotton gin closed in the 1970s. The abandoned building rests behind the vacant silos of the former W.S. McCollough and Sons Store and Grain.

Salters, SC Cotton Gin

John Van Dalen of Charleston, 2013 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

UPDATE: Linda Brown says that plans to tear down the cotton gin are scheduled for March 24, 2015. In response to the impending demolition, Brown captured what will likely be the last photographs of the building, seen below. She tells us, “The owners say it was a hard decision to make but one that they felt they had to make at this time.”

Salters Gin Railroad

Linda Brown of Kingstree, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Of the above photo, Brown says, “This shot shows its proximity to the railroad.”

Salters Gin Side

Linda Brown of Kingstree, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

She goes on to note of the picture above, “A different angle on the old gin which shows that it is more or less just a shell.”

Salters Gin Interior

Linda Brown of Kingstree, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

She captured the image above to give readers “a view of the interior of the gin.”

Salters Gin Williamsburg County

Linda Brown of Kingstree, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Finally, Brown took the above photo in March of 2015 to compare the state of the building to its appearance two years earlier (seen at the top of this page). She says, “This shot is similar to the one I took in July 2013. I think this shows how much deterioration has taken place over the past two years.”

Reflections on the Salters Cotton Gin


Contributor Linda Brown shares, “Friends who grew up in Salters fondly remember that a popular pastime in the fall was to jump the bales of cotton waiting to be ginned. I’ve also been told that the three stores that were then operating in Salters would stay open late at night during the ginning season for the convenience of the gin workers.”

Plan Your Trip: Salters Cotton Gin

Where is Salters Cotton Gin located?
Address: Cotton Gin Road, Salters, SC 29590
GPS Coordinates: 33.595153,-79.854458
What else should I see?
W.S. McCollough and Sons Store & Grain 0 mile
Salters Depot 0.1 mile
Ferrell Store 0.1 mile
C.E. Moseley Store 0.1 mile
Show me more like this!
  • See other South Carolina Barns & Farms
  • See other South Carolina Bygone Landmarks
  • Salters Historic Sites
    Salters Cotton Gin Map

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Johnnie Nelson says

      September 7, 2018 at 4:29 PM

      I remember this place in Salters, my grandfather and great grandfather, Van Nelson, Sr., used to live not to far from the cotton gin! I hate to see historic places like these be destroyed. These are the places to remind you of where you ancestors and relatives lived and once worked.

      Reply
    2. Bill Segars says

      March 23, 2015 at 1:51 PM

      Thanks to all of those that save and send images to SCIWAY of cotton gins, tobacco barns, country stores and mill villages; these places are disappearing from South Carolina’s landscape at an alarming rate. Our ancestors lost Southern features and lifestyles that they held dear and we are surviving, I can only hope that our decedents will survive also. They will as long as we remind them through photos and conversations of what they have lost. It’s hard to appreciate what one has until they understand what they missed out on.

      Reply
      • SCIWAY says

        March 23, 2015 at 3:01 PM

        Bill, thank you for your beautiful words and for recognizing the value in these buildings, farms, and other landmarks that tell the story of our state and its hard-working people.

        Reply

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    We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve the history of South Carolina’s historic, natural, and cultural landmarks before they are lost to time. This website serves as a permanent digital archive of over 2,300 South Carolina landmarks – and counting. Learn more about our work.

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    ABOUT US

    We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve the history of South Carolina’s historic, natural, and cultural landmarks before they are lost to time. This website serves as a permanent digital archive of over 2,300 South Carolina landmarks – and counting. Learn more about our work.

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