Fort Mill

History

The town of Fort Mill was established in 1873, getting its name from its location between two points, the first, a fort constructed by British in colonial times to protect the Catawba Indians from marauding tribes to the north, and the second point of Webb's Mill. The Catawba Indians made their home in present-day Fort Mill for many years. Scots-Irish settlers began arriving in the 1750s and 1760s and a small settlement soon developed. Fort Mill grew rapidly in the late 19th century as textile mills were established. After many textile mill shut-downs the town continued to grow rapidly and became a major suburb of Charlotte. Highlights in Fort Mill's history include: * In the mid-18th century, William Spratt and his wife Elizabeth were traveling through upper South Carolina in their wagon. They spent a night among the friendly Catawba Indians and were invited to stay and live in the area on a large tract of land given to them. They became the first white settlers in the Fort Mill area and their descendants still reside there. Their descendant, John Spratt, represented the area in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 2011. * The town of Fort Mill was the site of the last Confederate Government Cabinet meeting (1865).

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (1.30%) is water. Fort Mill has three golf courses. The town also maintains six parks: Harris Street Park, Steele Street Park, Doby Bridge Park, Calhoun Street Park, Veterans Park and Walter Elisha Park. Three of the six parks have picnic shelters, children's playgrounds, and restrooms. Doby Bridge and Harris Street Parks have lighted baseball fields, with Steele Street and Harris Street Parks having basketball courts, and Steele Street Park having a small water park.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  18,018
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  15,519
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  13,804
• Eastern Bluebird

  Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  12,193
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  12,071
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  10,976
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  10,826
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  10,746

Largest nearby schools

• Fort Mill High
  High · Fort Mill · 2,036 students · 15.2:1 ratio
• Rock Hill High
  High · Rock Hill · 1,945 students · 16.1:1 ratio
• Nation Ford High
  High · Fort Mill · 1,877 students · 15:1 ratio
• Northwestern High
  High · Rock Hill · 1,774 students · 16.3:1 ratio
• Catawba Ridge High School
  High · Fort Mill · 1,530 students · 15.6:1 ratio
• Pleasant Knoll Middle
  Middle · Fort Mill · 961 students · 14.3:1 ratio
• Dutchman Creek Middle
  Middle · Rock Hill · 909 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• Gold Hill Elementary
  Elementary · Tega Cay · 877 students · 14.1:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.72 — 2026-01-20
  5 km ESE of Elgin, South Carolina
• M 2.57 — 2025-04-26
  6 km E of Elgin, South Carolina
• M 2.5 — 2024-09-15
  6 km E of Elgin, South Carolina
• M 2.65 — 2024-03-09
  5 km E of Elgin, South Carolina
• M 2.54 — 2022-10-31
  6 km E of Elgin, South Carolina
• M 3.6 — 2022-06-29
  6 km E of Elgin, South Carolina