Horse Creek Valley is a geographic area along Horse Creek, a tributary of the
Savannah River. It lies within present-day
Aiken County, South Carolina (prior to 1872, in
Edgefield District / Edgefield County). The area is alternately referred to as "Midland Valley". Rising near
Vaucluse, South Carolina, Horse Creek enters the Savannah two miles downstream of downtown
Augusta, Georgia. Other communities along Horse Creek include
Graniteville,
Warrenville,
Gloverville,
Langley,
Burnettown,
Bath, and
Clearwater. While Horse Creek itself is rather insignificant, its potential for water power led to early examples of Southern industrialization, including a textile mill at Vaucluse (1830) and
William Gregg's Graniteville Mill (1845). The textile industry continued to play a primary role until the
Graniteville Train Derailment and final closure of the Graniteville Mill in 2006.