Heddle Hill: A New Chapter on Historic Ground
Just a few miles from the heart of Taylors, tucked along Rutherford Road, lies a place where history runs deep beneath the red clay. Long before it was dotted with warehouses or echoed with the sounds of industry, this land held the hopes—and the fears—of young soldiers preparing to head overseas.
In 1917, at the height of World War I, Camp Sevier was established here as a training ground for the U.S. Army’s 30th Infantry Division. Over the next year, more than 30,000 men passed through these fields, drilling, marching, and shipping out to fight in France. Many of them never returned. While few physical traces of the camp remain today, its impact endures. For a brief but intense moment, this land was part of a global struggle—and part of the legacy of sacrifice that shaped our nation.
After the war, the land shifted from military to manufacturing. In the 1920s, a Philadelphia-based company called Steel Heddle began expanding south, seeking proximity to the booming textile mills of the Carolinas. The company specialized in making the intricate metal parts—heddles, drop wires, reeds—that kept looms running in mills across the Southeast. In 1942, as World War II drove industrial growth, Steel Heddle opened a sprawling 50-acre campus right here on Rutherford Road, on the very grounds where troops once trained.
For decades, the Steel Heddle Manufacturing Company stood as one of Greenville’s proudest employers. At its height in the 1980s, nearly 1,000 jobs were tied to this site, with workers producing components essential to the textile industry’s success. The towering brick facades and expansive warehouses weren’t just structures—they were symbols of a thriving industrial economy and the families it supported.
But as global markets shifted and American textile production declined, Steel Heddle faced mounting challenges. After a series of ownership changes and financial struggles, the company filed for bankruptcy in 2001. What followed was a long period of uncertainty. The once-bustling complex fell into disrepair—vacant, weathered by time, and emblematic of the broader industrial downturn that touched so many Southern towns.
In 2014, a group of local investors saw potential where others saw a relic. They acquired the property with a focus on restoring its value through industrial leasing, breathing new life into the aging infrastructure by attracting small businesses and manufacturers. This effort stabilized the site, but the deeper transformation was yet to come.
That turning point arrived in December 2021, when UCP Heddle Greenville, LLC stepped in with a broader vision. Committing to significant improvements—renovating infrastructure, restoring facades, and modernizing the campus—they began laying the groundwork for something more ambitious than a business park. What emerged was Heddle Hill: a plan to honor the site's layered history while opening it up as a community-centered, mixed-use destination.
Today, over 40 businesses call Heddle Hill home, from craftsmen and artisans to light manufacturers and creative entrepreneurs. But looking ahead, the vision extends beyond industry. The team behind Heddle Hill is proposing a thoughtful redevelopment that includes community green space, local retail, and, over time, a modest number of workforce housing units—all designed to reflect the character of the area, not replace it.
The vision for Heddle Hill also includes setting aside space for a potential Camp Sevier memorial, honoring the thousands of soldiers who trained here before serving in World War I. Lucas Ward, one of the owners states, “We’re open to offering an opportunity to help establish this memorial through our site. To move forward in any official capacity, it's essential that the organizing foundation be fully formed as a legal entity, properly funded, and equipped to carry out the project independently. We look forward to continued conversations with the passionate individuals leading this initiative and hope to see their vision come to life with the right structure and support in place. Greenville deserves a memorial that will endure.”
To ensure this next chapter reflects the community’s values, the Heddle Hill team is inviting residents to engage in the process. A Community Meeting will be held Thursday, May 8th at 6:00 pm, at the front entrance of 1801 Rutherford Road. This is your chance to walk the grounds, hear the plans, ask questions, and offer input on how this historic site can continue to serve Taylors for generations to come.
In a town like Taylors—where memory and momentum live side by side—places like Heddle Hill remind us how the past and future meet. From soldiers to millworkers to makers, this land has always been about purposeful work. What comes next should be, too.
Learn more about the project at www.heddlehill.com
