Graniteville Map
Graniteville is an unincorporated community in Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. It lies along U.S. 1, five miles (8 km) west of Aiken. The town straddles Horse Creek which originates in the nearby town of Vaucluse.
Graniteville is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area. Also known as the C.S.R.A. or Central Savannah River Area.
Graniteville dates back to 1845 when William Gregg built the South's first large scale cotton mill in what became known as Graniteville. His paternalistic mill town included 90 homes, several boarding houses, six stores, two churches, and a school for the mill workers and their families. The community got its name because most of those original buildings were constructed of blue granite. Mr. Gregg required the children of mill workers to attend the public school he instituted and violators were fined. As such, Graniteville holds the distinction of having the first compulsory education system in the South.
Nearby cities include Warrenville, New Ellenton, Trenton, Martinez, Jackson.