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Up until the 1750's the Catawba Indian Tribe ruled what is know as present York County, SC. Changes to their culture came with arrival of white settlers on the eve of the American Revolution. Two important victories during the American Revolution, the Battle of Huck's Defeat and Kings Mountain, took place in York County. The economy of the area shifted toward the production of cotton in the late 18th century. York, the county seat, served as the educational and trading center for most of the rural populace. Diversification of York County's economy began in 1880 with the building of the Rock Hill Cotton Factory. Its success led to the construction of several other cotton factories and concerns, including the Anderson Automobile and the forerunner of Springs Industries, the Fort Mill Manufacturing Company. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, York County's interest in higher education, along with its proven business record, created the atmosphere to establish three institutions of higher learning, the best know of these is Winthrop University in Rock Hill. The post WWII industrial development of the county has continued to change the face of York County, while helping fuel the preservation of its rich and diverse heritage.
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