Fountain Inn’s history in textiles began with the founding of the Fountain Inn Cotton Mill in 1897. Faced with many challenges of the progressive era, the mill provided work for people of all ages, including children as young as eight years old. Wages ranged from fifteen to sixty cents a day, and mill workers frequently purchased goods from the shops on Main Street.
In 1906, John Woodside purchased controlling interest in the mill and it became known as Woodside Mills. Though the mill is no longer standing, the mill village that housed many of the workers still exists today off of Fairview Street with most homes dating back more than a century.