The Woodside brothers constructed the Woodside Cotton Mill, now known as the Simpsonville Cotton Mill, and village in 1908.  The vibrant mill remained Simpsonville's largest employer until after WWII. With over 600 looms and 25,000 spindles, the Simpsonville Cotton Mill employed over 6,000 people during the 1950's , and was the heart of the community.  In 1989 the Simpsonville Cotton Mill closed after serving 81 years.

Now, just 17 years later, the Simpsonville Cotton Mill has been reborn and is set once again to serve as the life and heart of the community. Below are photos of the original mill and some of it's employees from 1913!  What once was the Woodside Cotton Mill is now Cotton Mill Place!

Loft living is a blend of American invention and Parisian bohemian culture. With exposed ceilings, beam framing and cement floors, these unlikely housing units allowed for large floor-to-ceiling windows and open floor plans, a perfect setting for artist's studios and galleries. Soon the avant-guard living styles of the Greenwich, SoHo and TriBeCa artists caught on in Simpsonville, and loft living became a worldwide phenomenon.

The loft revolution began in the 1950s when many artists and residents decided to convert vacant industrial and warehouse buildings into spacious living and work spaces. The exposed ceilings, multistory windows, open floor plans, beam framing, and cement floors were perfect settings for studios, galleries, and avant-guard homes. It wasn't long before the lifestyle caught the public's imagination by storm and loft living became a worldwide phenomenon. Today, Cotton Mill Lofts in Simpsonville are more than just a transplanted great idea-they are unique.