Criminal Defense Attorney inGlendale, SC

At one time, it was a grand house.

Even in its neglected and dilapidated state, there is still some regality to the home Dr. James Bivings built in the 1830s. It sits on a hill that once overlooked Glendale Mill.

Fire claimed most of the mill four years ago, but the columned house still stands as a landmark in the once-bustling mill village.

The mill was eventually sold by Bivings in bankruptcy proceedings. Dexter Edgar Converse, founder of Converse College, became manager of the mill and moved into the house in 1855. Superintendents of the Glendale Mill would follow.

The house hasn't been inhabited for many years. Or has it?

Do apparitions, including soldiers, wander its large rooms and grounds? Team members of Upstate Paranormal Investigations recently spent a night there gathering audio, video and other data to determine whether paranormal activity is indeed taking place.

Some think the house was used as a hospital for Confederate soldiers. The basement supposedly served as a morgue.

"From local people that we've talked to, they say that Confederate soldiers have been seen," said Annette Sepulveda, founder of UPI.

Some people have told UPI team members they've seen Confederate soldiers around the basement. Some claim to have seen a woman on the porch, Sepulveda said.

During UPI's recent investigation, Sepulveda carefully steps through weeds and over wires running across the overgrown lawn from the house to a pitched tent. The tent is where the team has set up equipment powered by car batteries.

The house has no electricity, and it's very dark this overcast night. The amber glow from a streetlight illuminates the house and chain link fence surrounding the property.

It's about 9:30 p.m. and the neighborhood is quiet, but the crickets are loud. The air is thick with their chirping, as well as the humidity.

Beams from flashlights cut into the dark and guide investigators into the house.

Light from Sepulveda's flashlight bounces across floors and walls. Some places show water damage and graffiti.

"It's a crying shame, what's been done to it," Sepulveda says. "It's absolutely gorgeous, even though it's neglected."

She reflects on the house's former significance for Glendale residents. Think of the planning that must have gone on there for the whole community, she says.

"If you believe, like a lot of people, believe that life doesn't end, that the human body is full of energy and energy cannot be destroyed, it only changes to something different, then when a person dies their energy could be absorbed into these walls, you know — the energy of everyday life being absorbed into the walls and becoming a part of the building," she says.

"A lot of people believe that. Do I know scientifically? Can I prove that that's true? That's what we're trying to do."

UPI, which formed in February, has 10 active members and a technical adviser.

A few team members are from North Carolina; one is from Greenville. The rest are from Spartanburg.

All of them have regular jobs. They do paranormal investigation in their spare time.

Amber Patton, a team leader from Spartanburg, said members are serious about investigating the paranormal and include believers and skeptics.

"I think we're greatly misunderstood," she said.

She said a lot of people think of them as "ghost busters."

Patton said the group's goal is helping people. She said paranormal activity is terrifying to some, and that the group might serve to help ease their minds.

UPI has investigated four cases. Two more are pending.

Sepulveda says they never ask clients for a fee. "To us, it's an honor and a privilege to have an opportunity to investigate the paranormal," she says.

Team members use their own equipment. On their most recent investigation of the Bivings house, they set up equipment, including a motion sensor and cameras, all over the house. A couple of team members watch the video live out in a tent.

They also have audio equipment to record "electronic voice phenomena."

But the most important investigative tool, Sepulveda says, is intuition. "It will tell you when something's there. It will tell you when to get out. It will tell you when it's safe."

Before an EVP session in the basement, team members gather in a circle, join hands and pray for protection.

After the prayer, Rick Huffman and Sepulveda head back into the house and descend the stairs to the basement.

Huffman, co-founder of the group and a lead investigator, sits down on one side of the basement, and Sepulveda sits on the other side. They're settling in, preparing for the EVP session.

"All right guys, we are going silent for EVP sessions," Huffman radios to team members upstairs.

They switch off their flashlights, and the basement goes black.

"Is there anyone in this basement who would like to communicate with us?" Sepulveda asks. "We're not here to harm you. We're only curious."

"Are you a Confederate soldier?"

Huffman introduces himself and the team and explains what they're doing.

More questions follow.

The session lasts about 13 minutes.

Huffman thanks anyone who might be present for any attempts they might have made to contact the team.

Sepulveda says paranormal investigating is actually very boring. "It's a lot of long hours sitting and waiting," she says.

She says their ultimate goal is to help people determine whether they're experiencing paranormal activity.

They first search for natural explanations of suspected paranormal activity.

"I'm a very analytical person," Huffman says. "I will drive it into the ground if I have to, you know. I'm like a bulldog. They have to keep me on a leash sometimes because I want to find out the truth."

It will take hours to review the data the team members have collected, including audio.

Sepulveda says she hears something while playing back the EVP session from the basement. When she asked, "Are you a Confederate soldier?" she heard a whispered "yes."

Thursday, they were still reviewing what they gathered. Sepulveda said more than half the group will scrutinize the recording to decide whether it's legitimate, man-made or mechanical. If they can't agree, they will "throw it out."

B.G. Stephens, the self-described "unofficial mayor" of Glendale, grew up there. He said a strong rumor is that the basement might have been a Confederate morgue, but no one has substantiated that. He points out that there wasn't much Civil War combat here.

"Glendale mill workers and owners contributed to the Southern cause in the Civil War with the assignment of one-third of the plant's production to Confederate use," Michael Leonard wrote in "Our Heritage: A Community History of Spartanburg County, S.C."

Brad Steinecke, collections and research manager for the Spartanburg County Historical Association, said it's "perfectly conceivable" that the house could have been used as a hospital. Nothing in the historical records supports that, however.

Steinecke said the Glendale Mill produced wooden shoe soles during the war.

Maybe, if the crickets quiet down long enough, you can hear them echoing in the hallways or shuffling across the basement's dirt floor.

Sunday another chapter will close in a story that began in 1816 in Spartanburg County when the first textile mill was established.

Glendale United Methodist Church will hold its final service Sunday, closing the door on 155 years of doing the Lord's work.

A celebration of that history will begin at 11 a.m.

"We want this to be a celebration of the history of the church," the pastor, the Rev. Larry Hyder, said. "We're all saddened by the closing of the church, but we're proud of the history and that's what we want to focus on."

The remaining handful of members of the Glendale church will be transferred to Ben Avon United Methodist Church, where Hyder also serves as pastor.

"We hope a lot of former members and people who have been touched by the church will come to the celebration," Hyder said.

Glendale United Methodist Church, like Saxon United Methodist Church that closed a couple of years ago, started out as a mill village church built with money from the textile plant owner.

Villages didn't immediately spring up around the mills that began to dot the map from New Prospect to Enoree. The plants drew their work force from nearby farms. But as soon as it became apparent that textiles were going to be an important contributor to the economy, the mills began building houses for their employees.

The mill bosses encouraged the workers to be devout in worship. So many of the plant owners began building churches and, in some cases, paying the salaries of ministers. They built company stores, recreation centers, schools, whatever the workers needed. Some historians say the mill owners didn't want the workers to leave for fear they'd see a better life outside the village and quit textiles to work elsewhere. The churches, usually Methodist and Baptist, were second only to the mill in importance to the village.

In 1850, Bivingsville Cotton Manufacturing gave money to build a "combination community building" in Bivingsville (now Glendale). Methodist and Baptist congregations worshiped in the building for two years, until the mill gave an "unknown sum" to build a separate Methodist church, according to the history of Glendale Methodist Church.

The history notes that a balcony was included "for the slaves to worship in." That building was used until 1907 when the present church was completed at a cost of $4,000. This was a time of growth for the church, with the congregation almost doubling in size.

In 1911, the Rev. Dr. David English Camak founded Textile Industrial Institute, the precursor to Spartanburg Methodist College, while he was pastor of Glendale and Duncan Memorial Methodist churches.

The 1950s saw many renovations to the church and 1974 brought a new heating and air conditioning system.

Glendale Mills was closed in 1961 and families began to move away from the area. Membership in the church dropped in the 1970s for the first time since 1910, according to the church history.

Some growth in the '90s

In the 1980s, the report said, "Membership continues to drop as more and more move away."

Membership "dips severely," the history said, in 1993 and an attempt to start a teen club to draw young people into the church lasted only six months. But membership held steady and began to increase in 1995 for the first time in 20 years.

Acolytes began in the church in 1999, the same year the Boy Scouts began with Phil Bryant as scoutmaster and Cub Scouts began with Robert White as cub master. There were 18 Boy Scouts and 14 Cub Scouts.

Scout William Bryant put benches and an angel in the cemetery adjacent to the church as a beautification project for his Eagle Scout award.

The church, scouts and community volunteers built a playground in 2000 behind the church for the use of children in the area.

Unfortunately, membership in the church began to slip again after the congregation celebrated the 150th anniversary and the S.C. Annual United Methodist Conference voted earlier this month to close the church.

Spartanburg District Superintendent the Rev. Dennis R. Lee, the district's board of church location and building, Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor and the superintendents of the 11 other districts in the state discussed the closing in the months before the annual meeting and agreed to the closing. The Spartanburg District includes 79 churches in Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties.

The ownership of the church and its property will revert to the South Carolina United Methodist Conference and it will most likely be sold.

Debra G. Lester can be reached at 562-7264 or debra.lester@shj.com.

South Carolina never fails to impress us again and again. And for those who love chasing waterfalls, it's an endless adventure - from epic hiking trails that lead to waterfalls deep within our forests to others, like the one found at Glendale Shoals Preserve, that are barely a hike at hall. You can practically drive right up to Glendale Shoals and its waterfall - and then spend hours exploring the falls and the 13-acre park found at this Upstate preserve.

One of the first major mills in the state was found along Lawson's Fork Creek in what is now Glendale Shoals Preserve. The park showcases some astounding ruins of the old 1830s mill that eventually burned down in 2004, long after it closed.

The mill was surrounded by a small mill town that sprang up around the enormous cotton mill here and a bridge was eventually constructed over Lawson's Fork Creek connecting part of the town to the mill. It fell into great disrepair over the last several decades...

Only to bounce back at the end of August 2018, when it was restored to its full glory and reopened again to the public. Any visit to Glendale Shoals to see the waterfall and cascading falls over the shoals just won't be complete without crossing the iconic mill bridge.

The water rolling over the shoals is also a scenic wonder. It gurgles in places and roars in others and is sure to be a highlight of any visit to the preserve.

Depending upon water levels on Lawson's Fork Creek, visitors can often get out onto the shoals to explore the falls from different vantage points. Just be careful that your footing is solid and check each step to be certain you're not venturing into a slippery area.

After checking out the waterfall and the bridge, explore the rest of the park at Glendale Shoals Preserve. A one-mile loop trail through the park follows the creek for nearly half of the hike before it loops back through the park and past several historic points of interest, mostly related to the ruins that remain of the mill.

Bring a picnic and stay awhile. There are tables and plenty of other places (like the seating found within the amphitheater) to sit down, relax, and enjoy this uniquely preserved mill site and waterfall.

It's hard to believe such a fantastic scene is found just off the main highway — and only six miles from downtown Spartanburg.

Glendale Shoals Preserve is free to the public and is open seven days a week from dawn to dusk. Dogs are allowed, but must remain on a leash. Find out more about the park from the official website here. And learn more in this previous article about the ghost mill town at Glendale that just refuses to die.

COLUMBIA — South Carolina has plans to buy and preserve 950 acres just outside of Spartanburg.

The state’s tourism agency received the initial nod of approval this week to pursue what’s being dubbed the Central Park of Spartanburg. Located just 5 miles outside downtown Spartanburg, the property includes 1.2 miles of riverfront on Lawsons Fork Creek that would connect to land already protected for a nearly 1,200-acre conservation corridor, according to documentation provided to the state’s fiscal oversight board.

The project has a long way to go before the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism would actually acquire the land. But Tuesday’s vote by the State Fiscal Accountability Authority allowed officials to start the process that also involves the state Conservation Bank and Office of Resilience.

If everything comes together, the park will be “really, really cool,” said Raleigh West, director of the state Conservation Bank.

“We’re excited about this slate of projects and look forward to working on them over the coming months,” he told the SC Daily Gazette.

The park would adjoin the 29-acre Glendale Shoals Preserve & Waterfalls.

Spartanburg Area Conservancy, a local land trust that runs the Glendale preserve, is under contract to buy the property for $25 million. The group would then sell the property to the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism for $23 million, which would, in turn, make an agreement with Spartanburg County to manage the “green space passive park,” according to the fiscal authority’s meeting packet.

A spokesperson for Spartanburg County Parks and Recreation declined to comment on the project.

Unlike Central Park in New York City, the Spartanburg park would likely remain mostly natural. Specifics are still in the works, but people would be able to hike, bike or picnic in the park, West said.

Leaving the area mostly natural would help mitigate flooding, said Carissa Cochrane, a spokesperson for the Office of Resilience.

The agency created in 2021 to do just that would cover the bulk of the cost: $20 million. The Conservation Bank would pitch in the remaining $3 million, according to the meeting packet.

“We believe this is a wonderful project that will benefit from coordination and collaboration with multiple state and local entities,” Cochrane said.

New Black River State Park properties

The upcoming Black River State Park could also get bigger after officials gave the OK to start evaluating three new parcels of land totaling 1,205 acres in Georgetown County.

The properties are expected to cost about $3.7 million, according to the fiscal authority’s agenda packet.

They could add to a dozen already-protected public access points along the river, tallying more than 5,000 acres. The state owns more than 2,000 of those acres through grants given by the Conservation Bank.

Unlike traditional state parks, the Black River State Park will follow its namesake river for 70 miles, consisting of a patchwork of properties weaving through Georgetown and Williamsburg counties where people can stop and rest or camp overnight. People will be able to take day-long or multi-day trips in canoes or kayaks down the river using those public pieces of land, according to the parks department’s website.

“Our goal is to have ramp access close enough to each other that no matter where you put in, you can get to a take out in one day’s paddle,” department director Paul McCormack wrote on the agency’s website.

The department is close to completing that goal, said Michelle Sinkler, who manages special projects for conservation nonprofit Open Space Institute’s southeastern offices. If the state is able to add the properties approved Tuesday, they would be among the last needed before fully opening the park, Sinkler said.

Public access is already available at a number of places along the river. Full access is expected by year’s end. The state parks department is putting trails, bathrooms and boat launches onto the existing properties to prepare them for visitors, Sinkler said.

The parks department asked the Legislature for $5 million to make those improvements to property along the Black River as part of a larger request for renovations and construction at parks across the state.

The House’s spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year provided $12 million for improvements at state parks across South Carolina, which can go toward the Black River project.

“We have the land, we have the plan,” Sinkler said. “Now we need to build it.”

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I love nature and our planet. I volunteer as a Conservation Assistant with the South Carolina Aquarium, helping to assess litter and plastic pollution in Spartanburg.

The vision of the Aquarium is to help connect people to water, wildlife, and wild places. Glendale Shoals Preserve is a local site that embodies all three; connection leads to protection. This beautiful site is home to rushing waters, an assortment of birds, mammals, turtles, snakes, fish, amphibians and insects. It’s an invaluable Spartanburg County natural resource and recreational site.

Unfortunately, natural wonders like Glendale Shoals are not always treasured. Decades ago, illegal dumping marred the area with plumbing debris, a car, countless tires, and appliances. Neighbors devoted considerable time and energy to remove these items. Other groups continue the effort, and yet, smaller items continue to resurface at the Shoals. 5,011 bottles, jars, and glass fragments were removed last October and more glass resurfaces after heavy rains, remnants from long ago dumping. Litter has long-term impact.

Another consistent and more toxic problem is the accumulation of plastic bottles and Styrofoam. These items — tossed out car windows or carelessly dropped on the ground float along to the Shoals, but often not in one piece. Tens of thousands of pieces of Styrofoam have been removed from three natural troughs, yet more collects after every rainfall, as stormwater carries polluting debris from roadways and ground surfaces into our rivers, creeks, and streams. In addition, many more pieces and particles remain in the water and flow along to the Pacolet, Broad, and Santee Rivers and eventually to the Atlantic Ocean. Inland and coastal communities are intrinsically linked through our waterways. Our trash becomes someone else’s.

These smaller pieces of petroleum based plastics are ingested by all manner of wildlife. Research shows that it comes back to us in microscopic particles through the seafood we eat and the water we drink. Although we understand much of the impact of plastic on wildlife, the impact on humans is not yet fully understood. Preliminary evidence points to increases in heart attacks, strokes, dementia, and hormonal and behavioral changes. Litter impacts our health.

Spartanburg city and county governments, various local nonprofits, local neighborhood associations, colleges and universities are all deeply concerned about litter, involved in litter and hazardous waste collection, and monitoring water pollution. Despite a tremendous effort to remove litter, it still plagues our community. After making considerable traction in mitigating plastic pollution along the coast, the South Carolina Aquarium developed a program focused on expanding this work in other regions around our state. The Aquarium facilitates litter workshops and collaborates with Spartanburg groups to tackle litter. Coalitions strengthen outcomes.

What can you or I do? First, be conscious of our own litter. Avoid Styrofoam and other single-use plastic; support businesses that are doing the same. Reusable water bottles, bags and straws are inexpensive, readily available and healthier options. Recycle everything you can. Find a proper receptacle for your litter. Pack it in and pack it out when visiting wild places. Check websites of local groups for dates and locations of upcoming litter sweeps. Do your own litter sweeps — in your neighborhood, on local trails and parks, around your business, and encourage or participate in neighborhood association litter sweeps. It’s very satisfying work.

I collect and log all litter data in the Litter-Free Digital Journal, the Aquarium’s litter tracker, accessible through your web browser. Litter data heightens awareness, alerts us to problematic debris and hotspots, and enables solutions. Data informs businesses, enlisting their help, and informs state and local policies to address the litter in our air, soil, and waterways. As citizen scientists, we can become advocates for solutions. Litter pickups can build and restore our communities, making them more desirable places to live. While it’s not my litter, it is my community and my planet. Being actively concerned about litter is another important way that we can “love where we live.”

Contact me to plan a Litter-Free workshop for your civic group, neighborhood association, or school, or for more information about becoming involved as a citizen scientist, collecting litter and data.

- Joyce Harrison is the Volunteer Conservation Assistant, South Carolina Aquarium. Reach her at joyceh332@gmail.com.