Historical Highlights Timeline
A few important events in Spartansburg’s Past

For a more in-depth look at these events, click on the picture or the title.

  • About this site (10/11/1600) - Spartansburg History is work in progress. I welcome any photos, stories, articles or other historical items. I will care for… …
  • 1820’s Saw Mills (1/1/1820) - In the 1820's William Sterling and Akins started the first lumber businesses in Sparta Township.  The mills were on tract… …
  • First Home in Spartansburg (6/9/1830) - The first log home in Spartansburg was built on the East side of Oil Creek by Abraham Blakeslee. …
  • Akins Brothers Begin Business in Spartansburg (7/9/1831) - This is a mill similar to what Akins might have built. In the 1830's The Akins brothers, Andrew and Aaron,… …
  • Railroads Through Spartansburg (5/1/1862) -    The Oil Creek Railroad line from Titusville to Corry opened in 1862.  The Oil Creek became a part of… …
  • School Building Erected in 1862 (6/10/1862) - The first school in Spartansburg town limits was built on land donated by the Akins on the east side of… …
  • Spartansburg Downtown 1876 (8/1/1876) - Spartansburg Main Street in the 1870s Spartansburg was a flourishing village in the 1870's.  The population was growing and businesses… …
  • The 1878 Fire Burns Main Street Businesses (3/7/1878) - Spartansburg has suffered three major fires in the town business district.  The first fire occurred in 1878 and destroyed homes… …
  • The Spartansburg Bank (1882-1905) (3/4/1882) - In 1882, a bank was organized in Spartansburg.  The bank was a private bank with no state or federal backing. … …
  • Spartansburg’s Newspaper the Sentinel (2/28/1885) -   The first copy of the "Spartansburgh" Sentinel was 2 pages and issued on February 28, 1885.  The Editor was… …
  • 1885 Dam Burst and Flood (8/31/1885) - Heavy rains that had been falling for several days and an especially heavy storm and possible water spout north of… …
  • 1892 Dam Burst and Flood (6/5/1892) - On June 5th, 1892, the abundance of rain that had fallen on Spartansburg and the nearby areas proved to be… …
  • 1898 Fire on the Northeast End of Main Street (6/13/1898) - The north side of Main Street had been rebuilt just 20 years before, but was still primarily of wood structure.… …
  • 1905 Fire Takes the South Side of Main Street (1/14/1905) - Only seven years after the destructive fire of 1898 which burned the north side of Main Street, the quiet of… …
  • Grange National Bank (4/20/1908) - The Grange National Bank was the 2nd bank in Spartansburg.  It's establishment came within 3 years after the failure of… …
  • Spartansburg Fair (10/20/1921) - Spartansburg folks enjoy celebrating.  Parades, carnivals, dances, dinners, picnics and gatherings of all sorts have been reported since the late… …
  • The “New” (1922) School (9/1/1922) - As the attendance at Spartansburg school increased and the building aged, the community members realized that a new home for… …