Home Care In Lyman, SC

About Lyman

LYMAN, S.C. (WSPA) – The town of Lyman dates back to 1923 and when it was built it was brand new and attracted many workers.

“People wanted to work here,” Stephen Batson, a former Photographic Engraver, said. “This was the place to have a job.”

It all started with Pacific Mills who bought the land and created a place to work and raise a family.

Batson said, “They bought enough to build a village and to build a cotton mill and the bleach house and expanded it to the printing and finishing company.”

What Pacific Mills did was build the most modern village and mill anyone had seen at the time.

“We had the best of everything. All the amenities in the houses. The families were just so happy because they had something new,” according to local historian Hilda Morrow.

Pacific Mills meant so much to the people of Lyman when it was still here. They said it was more than just a place to work it was the foundation of a strong community.

“Virtually everybody in the village itself knew each other,” Batson explain.

While Pacific Mills was constructing factories to work in, they were also creating a place for leisure.

“They were building the cotton mill and bleach house first and right along that another crew was building the community building,” Batson said. “It was a meeting place, you can have meetings there, you can have games there, you can have all kinds of stuff there.”

Pacific Mills thrived and so did Lyman but in the ’50s they sold practically everything and at the turn of the century the mills that started it all closed their doors for good.

“It made tears in my eyes,” Batson said.

He recalls driving by the mills for the first time when they were being torn down and being devastated.

“It was a big loss and it’s still a loss.”

Some parts of the old mill still stand but instead of a bustling industry, they sit empty as a distant memory of what once was.

Surrounding the mill is where you’ll see places and things that give you a glimpse of what life was like back then.

“There’s an old spring and it’s built in an amphitheater style,” Morrow said. “That spring tells all the stories about Lyman.”

A lot happened in the spring.

It was used as a freshwater source when the new pipes in the homes gave the water a “metal” taste.

It was also the first gathering place for the first church and even a stop for drifters hopping from train to train.

Morrow said, “It was a busy place in the ’20s and ’30s.”

The town was a busy place, and even though it’s slowed down, if you ask those who grew up there, they’ll tell you there’s no place like Lyman.

“I like this better than any little town around here,” Batson added.

Learn more about our special guest:

Videos:

Walmart on Tuesday announced plans to build a distribution center for fresh and frozen groceries in Spartanburg County.

A press release said Walmart will invest $450 million in the 720,000-plus, square-foot facility in Lyman and create more than 400 jobs with a combination of associates, automation technology, robotics and machine learning to process grocery perishables. The new center is set to open in 2024.

It will be built on a 201-acre site at the 750-acre Fort Prince Industrial Park on Fort Prince Boulevard (Highway 129) and will be Walmart's largest grocery distribution center.

"There aren't many announcements that come close to this one in regard to overall impact in Spartanburg County," stated David Britt, chairman of the county's economic development committee. "Walmart's decision to locate here will provide growth opportunities not only for residents, but our community as a whole for years to come."

Lyman is a small but growing community along the U.S. 29 corridor between Duncan, Spartanburg and Greer. It has grown from 3,243 people in 2010 to 6,173 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Lyman mayoral candidates Glenn Greer and Marc Garcia, who along with Rick Hellams are hoping to succeed retiring Mayor Larry Chappell, said Tuesday the project will be a game-changer for Lyman.

"We're very excited," said Greer, who is Lyman's mayor pro tem on Town Council. "This is a lot of hard work between Spartanburg County, OneSpartanburg and the Town of Lyman to land this. We welcome Walmart."

Greer said Walmart chose the Lyman site in large part because of its available infrastructure and location Greer between Atlanta and Charlotte, near Interstates 85 and 26 and the Inland Port at Greer.

He said Lyman will benefit from the jobs and expanded tax base, which will bring in more revenues to the town's budget.

"We love having industry come in and move our tax base forward," he said.

Garcia said town leaders need to start planning now to enlarge Fort Prince Boulevard for the coming increase in truck traffic.

"We are located truly in a great location to be able to serve their corporate needs," Garcia said of Walmart. "We have citizens who live on that road who would now have to deal with the significant increase in traffic."

Hellams could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Lyman traffic woes:Growth, traffic squeezing patience of Lyman residents

Britt said the project brings the total investment in Spartanburg County to a record $1.71 billion with 3,500 new jobs.

He said Spartanburg County was competing with other states for the distribution center.

"Anytime a Fortune 500 company is looking to invest $450 million in a state, you better believe there is a multi-state competition and this was the case," he said. "Spartanburg, South Carolina, rose to the top based on our reputation of supporting business and industry that is connected to the nationwide and global economy."

The project was initially code-named Project Replay, first brought before Spartanburg County Council in January. Walmart received a reduced property tax rate of 4% over 40 years. The standard rate for companies is 10.5%.

The agreement also provides a total of $6.3 million in special source revenue credits, which would be reduced if the company does not meet its minimum investment.

Very few projects in South Carolina are large enough to warrant a "super fee" rate of 4%, which is generally reserved for those investing at least $400 million.

BMW Manufacturing in Spartanburg County is one of the few to receive a 4% rate 28 years ago. Since it opened, BMW has invested more than $11 billion and created 11,000 jobs.

Walmart's 201-acre site at the Fort Prince Industrial Park was sold by Colliers International's Spartanburg industrial team of John Montgomery, Garrett Scott and Brockton Hall, Colliers announced Tuesday.

The sale means the entire 750-acre park has now been sold, Colliers said. The other developments facilitated by Colliers and under construction at Fort Prince include The Cubes at Fort Prince and Hunt Midwest's Fort Prince Logistics Center.

Large project announced:$380 million economic project, 450 jobs planned in Spartanburg County

Shafter, Calif., is the home of Walmart’s first high-tech distribution grocery center, announced in 2018.

The Lyman distribution center will rely on a combination of employees, automation, robotics and machine learning to process perishable goods -- such as produce, eggs, dairy, flowers and frozen goods -- and deliver them to nearby stores, according to Walmart.

The center is part of a larger investment the retailer announced earlier this year to double down on the use of automation technology in supply chain. Walmart operates four distribution centers, 122 retail stores and employs over 30,000 associates in the state.

Grocery store shelves bare?:These products may be hard to find amid supply chain disruptions

"Walmart’s high-tech grocery distribution center will include game-changing innovations that are radically disrupting the supply chain, getting products onto shelves for our customers even faster, while saving time for our associates,” said David Guggina, senior vice president, automation and innovation at Walmart U.S.

“We’re proud to be opening Walmart’s largest automated grocery distribution center in Spartanburg County and look forward to bringing new STEM job opportunities to the region.”

To learn more about employment visit here.

Staff writer Bob Montgomery contributed to this story. He can be reached at [email protected].

Tamia Boyd is a Michigan native who covers breaking news. Email her at [email protected], and follow her on Twitter @tamiamb.

What Emma Brooke Alley thought was a telemarketer call ended up being a producer from The Voice. That call led to a chance for her to appear on the popular NBC music reality show.

Alley, a 19-year-old from Lyman, said the producer saw her singing on a social media post. The call would eventually help Alley - her stage name is Emma Brooke - to compete on The Voice this season. She made it to the top 36 before getting eliminated on Oct. 31.

She secured a spot on The Voice with a cover of "California Dreamin," by The Mamas & The Papas. Two judges, Gwen Stephani and John Legend turned their chairs for the Spartanburg County native and she went with Team Legend.

"I got two chairs turned, and I was grateful to even have one," she said. "They were the two people that I wanted, John Legend and Gwen Stephani. I thought I was going to go with Gwen, just because she was my top pick of all time, but it was the way that John was speaking to me. He said 'I see this perfection about you in your contemporary music, and I want to take down those walls that you've built and rough up your style and sound.' It immediately caught my attention, he knows what I want on this show."

Emma Brooke Alley competes on The Voice

One obstacle Alley faced on the show was becoming comfortable with diverse music genres. She typically worked with the genres indie, alternative-rock and blues. Alley's battle with Nia Skyfer gave her the opportunity to expand her musical growth.

"I won my battle round with Nia Skyer, we sang 'She's All I Wanna Be,' by Tate McRae, which was a song completely out of my wheelhouse," she said. "It was very pop-rock, Olivia Rodrigo type stuff. When they gave me a pop-rock song I was like 'Oh Lord, this is gonna be fun.' I made it a mission that no matter what song they would give me, I'm going to show them that my voice is flexible and capable."

Skyfer said that competing with Alley was a fun, learning experience.

"Her being so young and yet so skilled with her craft is something I highly admire," Skyfer said in an email. "It never really felt like we were battling each other. I think it felt more like a duet between two friends. Overall, it was a great experience and I'm glad they paired us together."

Alley said the best advice she received came from singer and songwriter Jazmine Sullivan during a coaching segment.

"The advice was to really 'sell my story.' When you're brought up and trained in classical music, it's sometimes hard to really find that connection with that song," Brooke said. "Jazmine taught me this trick about really selling a look with just my eyes. If somebody looks in my eyes and can feel that emotion, it's the strongest way I can convey how I'm feeling. I felt like being there gave me the confidence and gave me the time to work with John (Legend) and myself on how I'm going to take this song and myself to the next level."

The Voice 2022Easley's Ansley Burns reflects on experience working with Blake Shelton

What is next for Emma Brooke Alley's musical career?

Alley said she will appear Nov. 21 at the Spinning Jenny in Greer. She will sing original songs for the Brent Ensley Showcase.

She is currently studying Contemporary Music with Media Applications at Converse University. Alley, who began taking voice lessons at 6 years old at Converse's Lawson Academy of the Arts, plans to complete her four-year degree in 2025 before pursuing a career as a singer-songwriter.

Alley graduated high school from South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, in May 2021.

She appreciates all of the support from her friends, family and community.

"The night that my blind audition aired, we had a blind audition party at my church, 4 Points Church in Greer," she said. "Just to see the turnout of everyone that came, and they wanted to watch that episode alongside me and support me. Everyone was so full of love."

How Emma Brooke Alley's musical career began

Alley said she remembers singing Disney songs and her voice caught the attention of her parents.

"I was running around the house, singing things like Disney princess songs, Hannah Montana and all the stuff little girls would sing around the house."

"My parents heard a little vibrato sound, and thought 'maybe she can do something with this?' They enrolled me in the Lawson Academy of the Arts and I started taking voice lessons with Dr. Valerie MacPhail, and have been taking lessons with her ever since."

MacPhail, associate professor of Voice and assistant director of the Petrie School of Music at Converse, said that Alley was always an amazing student who worked hard.

"Emma Brooke started studying voice with me when she was 8- years-old. She had a true vocal gift, with a voice that was beautiful and mature beyond her years," MacPhail said. "I truly believe her talents would allow her to be successful in any genre of music, and I feel privileged to be part of her journey as she figures out where she wants to go."

Many road and bridge projects are planned this year in Spartanburg County by state and county transportation departments.

Spartanburg County projects

Funded projects on county-maintained roads this year include:

? Intersection improvements at 4th Street/Hanging Rock and Valley Falls roads in Boiling Springs; Lightwood Knott and South Hammett Roads at Reidville Road; Willis Road at U.S. 29; and the installation of a traffic signal on S.C. 290 at Draexlmaier in Duncan.

Also, the county will continue to resurface roads, replace and repair bridges and large culverts on county-owned roads.

More:Spartanburg County roads see greater need than road projects planned

Projects planned on county-maintained bridges and culvert replacements include:

? Calvary Road Bridge, Miller Town Road Bridge, Gate Road Bridge, Rabbit Moffit Road Bridge, Reidville Sharon Road Bridge, Beardon Road Bridge, Waspnest Road Bridge, Frey Road Bridge, and Settles Road Bridge.

More:A look at some of the key Spartanburg County, state road improvements planned for 2021

Spartanburg County Public Works Director Travis Brown said county road projects such as improvements in Boiling Springs near Highway 9 are often done in tandem with state Transportation Department projects.

Other local projects

At the recent Spartanburg County Transportation Committee, comprised of state lawmakers who represent all or parts of Spartanburg County, these new projects were approved:

? Highway 14 East paving; widening of Robinson Road from Fulmer Drive to Highway 290; paving of Sloan Road/Mill Gin Road, from Jordan Road to Mt. Lebanon Road; paving of Shiloh Church Road, from Highway 358 to Wasp Nest Road; paving of Westmoreland Road in Greer; paving of East Church and Savannah streets, Tumbler Rock Road and Pebble Court in Cowpens; Edwards Lane in Duncan.

Also, Woods Chapel and Victor Hill Road intersection project; and curb, gutter and storm drainage improvements to Preston Street in Spartanburg.

South Carolina DOT projects

S.C. Department of Transportation projects planned in Spartanburg County this year include:

? Lyman Traffic Triangle, $6.5 million. Construction is expected to start this fall. Improvements to main intersection areas in the town of Lyman: U.S. 29 at Pine Ridge Road; S.C. 358/Holly Springs Road at Pine Ridge Road; S.C. 129 at Holly Springs Road and U.S 29. at S.C. 292. Nearby in Lyman, left turn lanes on U.S. 29 at Pine Ridge Road will be lengthened and left turn lanes added on Pine Ridge Road.

? Chesnee Highway and Old Post Road intersection. A traffic light will be installed, and a right turn lane added on eastbound Chesnee Highway, as well as left turn lanes on all four legs of the intersection.

? Old Post Road and Hyatt Street intersection. A traffic light will be installed and the intersection will be reconfigured to allow for through traffic to and from Interstate 85 along Hyatt Street, construction of a right turn lane on eastbound Old Post Road, and a left turn lane added on northbound Hyatt Street.

? Farmington Road will be extended a short distance to align with Old Post Road after the Old Post Road/Hyatt Street intersection is modified. The project is needed due to anticipated growth in the Gaffney area and the corridor’s proximity to both I-85 and the Gaffney Premium Outlets.

? Country Club Road corridor. The existing corridor is primarily a two-lane roadway that connects the City of Spartanburg at Union Street and South Pine Street to Glendale. The $6 million project is near the trailhead of the Mary Black Rail Trail and trails near Glendale Shoals and is expected to start this spring. The road will be widened, drainage improved and safety upgrades at key intersections for a multi-use pathway.

? A roundabout at S.C. 11 and Paris Bridge Road.

Planned paving and widening projects included in DOT's 10-year plan in Spartanburg County include:

? Holly Springs Road (SC 358), 3.3 miles; Bryant Road, 1.15 miles; Southgate Drive; 0.35 miles; Brice Road, 1 mile; Old Georgia Road, 2.65 miles; Lawson Road, 1.68 miles; Freeman Farm Road, 0.33 miles; Walnut Grove Road, 1.69 miles; Greenpond Road, 3.5 miles; S.C. Highway 101, 11.3 miles; S.C. 14 (East Rutherford Street), 1.45 miles; S.C. Highway 14 East, 0.54 miles; S.C. Highway 417, 2.3 miles.

? Also, Waddell Road, 1.83 miles; Fairfield Road, 0.9 miles; Fairfield Street, 0.51 miles; West Georgia Road, 2.69 miles; West Georgia Street, 0.89 miles; S.C. 292 (Inman Road), 2.59 miles; S.C. 292 (Lyman Road), 2.61 miles; South Pine Street, 0.52 miles; U.S. Highway 176 Bypass, 2.93 miles; S.C. Highway 14 West, 3.7 miles; S.C. Highway 14 (West Rutherford Street), 0.86 miles; S.C. Highway 56, 22.73 miles.

Meanwhile, state lawmakers from Spartanburg County are allocated state funds to designate for road projects in their districts.

Is there a road or project in Spartanburg County you want us to check on? Email Bob Montgomery at [email protected].

[email protected]

A new facility is helping workers with disabilities in the Lyman area find employment more easily.

The S.C. Vocational Rehabilitation Department's Bryant Center in Lyman, just down the street from Byrnes High School, recently opened a new job training center. The facility is designed to provide job training to people with disabilities looking to enter the workforce.

"It was truly about 20 years in the making," said Jennie Thomas, Vocational Rehab area administrator. "It is truly the anchor piece of this whole facility."

The Bryant Center opened in 2010 with employment counseling and services. The training center opened in July, but next month, potential employers will be welcomed to the facility to learn more about the training it provides and the benefits workers there could have on business.

Thomas said the training center was the missing piece of the puzzle at the Bryant Center — giving workers with disabilities the chance to train in some of the jobs they'd likely get in the workforce.

"The problem (many businesses) have right now is people," said Jay Weisner, training center manager. "It's a win-win for us to help corporate partners. They bring a product in here and our people clock in and clock out, take breaks, so when they leave here, they already have the skills, the aptitude, to work. They're already training on-the-job to do the job."

The facility already has partnerships with Sloan Construction Co. and BPO American, a local call center.

Classes in heavy equipment operation, including an OSHA certification and simulator training, are available in the new facility. An on-site call center lets people field real, live calls from customers. Software and hardware similar to what's found in offices is in place to give those training the most hands-on experience possible, Thomas said.

The facility gets workers with disabilities ready to enter the workforce. Clients from age 15 up, some of whom come from Byrnes High, train there to get a better idea of how a workday typically goes what a typical businesses environment is like.

Weisner spent more than 30 years working in production for several private companies. He said his industry experience better enables the training center to mimic how business works.

"That is my background, with a master's degree and all that, but here, we recreate jobs at companies and industries in the area," he said. "We can benefit (trainees) in so many different ways. The things you see our clients doing are real jobs for real clients."

Friday morning, those trainees specially folded boxes that will be used to cover machinery pieces during transit and put together packages of plastic gloves used by workers in several fields.

The facility hit the ground running, welcoming 17 area businesses the day it opened this summer, Weisner said. Since, more than 100 businesses have signed on as partners.

"They get out of here and they get hired, that's the end goal," Weisner said.