About

Historic Lake View

Video provided by Smithsonian Institution Museum on Main Street

In 1792 Major William Ford built a dam at each end of Bear Swamp, creating a millpond and building a grist mill and powering a cotton gin. Lake View was first called Ford’s Mill in 1792 after Major William Ford constructed a pond and grist mill on the site.

In 1782 they constructed a dam which still stretches across the pond. It once powered a gristmill and a cotton gin. The name was changed to Page’s Mill in 1870 when Joseph Nichols Page purchased the property from Dr. C.T. Ford and built a large general store to serve the community. In 1877 a post office was opened with J.N. Page as it’s first post master. After the railroad came through this area in 1900 the town of Page’s Mill grew from the mill, general tore, and post office toward the railroad tracks.

The town became incorporated as Page’s Mill Feb 26, 1907. In 1910 it became part of Dillon County. The town voted to change the name of the town from Page’s Mill to Lake View and on May 12, 1916, the town became incorporated as Lake View.

The millhouse here today, is the third to occupy the site, and it was built by B.P. Parish, Sr. in 1934. Lake View Millpond features 295 acres which includes a cypress swamp with two beautiful spillovers. The lake is only 60% of these acres, and although the mill no longer functions as a mill, it has old flood gates that are used to this date. It is a wonderful spot to take photos.