DIRECTIONS: Oolenoy Valley lies across Northeast quadrant of Pickens County and there are two ways to get there.
     First, from Main St Pickens take Ann St (US178, Rosman or Mountain Hwy) northward to Table Rock Road (SC 288). It's a right turn in front of Holly Springs Church.
     Second, from Main St Pickens take Jewell St (US 183 and SC 8) norteastward to Pumpkintown, hence SC 8 is called Pumpkintown Hwy. Table Rock Road crosses SC 8 at Pumkintown and you can turn left or right to drive through Oolenoy Valley. It's a shorter backtrack if you turn right first.

     Oolenoy River starts way up near Beasley Gap, east of US 178 where you turn to go down into Eastatoe Valley. Fact is the spring is in the hollow on the right as you make the first climb up to Beasley Gap. From there the highway follows the river down to near Gauley Falls (Table Rock Resort and Golf Course), under Scenic Highway 11, then Sliding Rock Road into Ooloney Valley.

     Gauley Falls, or Sliding Rock at Gauley Falls, use to be up an old logging road out in the woods. Now it's up a short trail pass some of the resort homes next to a golf tee. Creeping civilization. It was a popular hangout for the teens during the Summer months, especially on Senior layout day. Of course, family's use to go there too, Gauley was just one of many swimming holes in Pickens County, poor folk's swimming pool. Now it's a rich folk's private swimming hole.

     When you get in front of Holly Springs Church, be sure to drive up into the cemetery, it's got a great view of Horse and Pinnacle Mountains. In that first draw just above and to the right of the church is where Gauley Falls is on Emery Creek. Emery Creek flows out of the basin behind the ridge that leads up to Pinnacle. That's where Old Camp Adger use to be, in that basin.
     Camp Adger was the resort place back in 1920's and 1930's, just board cabins and tents then. Youth groups use to go there too, Boy Scouts, 4H Clubs, Girl Scouts and Church Groups. There was even a small lake there, Olympic size swimming hole. During and after the war years it was abandoned, except for the occasional Boy Scout camping trips. It's a stopping place on the Foothills Trail now, that's the trail that runs between Table Rock State Park and Oconee State Park, the same trail that crosses over Sassafrass Mountain above Rocky Bottom. Sassafrass is behind the highest mountain above Emery Creek basin.

     As you drive through Oolenoy Valley you'll see the usual things, fields, some plowed some grown up with weeds, trees, a few family burial plots, and homes, some old some not so old and some new. Some homes you might miss seeing all together, they've been grown over with trees.
     There's one on Carrick Creek Road near where it runs into Table Rock Road. Carrick Creek starts up between Pinnacle and Table Rock Mountain near Panther Gap. The hiking trail in the State Park follows it for a ways. The Creek feeds into the swimming lake at the park then Oolenoy Lake which Scenic Highway 11 goes over and then in a round about way ends up in Oolenoy River.
     I dont know who lived in this one, it doesn't matter much I guess. It may have had a small store in it once too; it was the last stop before going up Carrick Creek Road to the East Entrance to Table Rock State Park. Anyway, there's lots of old homes in Oolenoy Valley.

     Pumpkintown is the four-way stop junction, now; it use to have a blinking light which was a big deal, Pumpkinton had a traffic light. That was after the two stop sign junction. Before that it was just a wide place in the road and you missed Pumpkintown if you blinked.
     Each Fall for several years now Pumpkintown has had the Pumpkin Festival. The usual country gathering festivities, blue grass and country music, dancing which includes square and clogging types, and a parade with horse drawn wagons and such. Some of the gatherings are at nearby Oolenoy Community Center now, that's just off Dacusville Highway, SC 135. There's more about that place further down too.
     The house up on the hill across from the store is one of the really old homesteads. Belonged to Matthew Hendricks, I think, he called it Whisteria, after the purple, flowering vine.
     The store-gas station-resturant is the local gathering place now. Yes, there's a resturant in that building. Really good cooking and eating.
     Just down SC 8 a mile or so, on the way to Dacusville Highway, is another store, it's really old, or so it would seem. The Edens family has been part of Oolenoy Valley for a long time.

     Among the early settlers of the Oolenoy Valley who came down from Virginia, were Samuel Edens and his wife. They had five children, one of whom was William Elford (Dr. Bill) Edens. Dr. Bill married Mary McClure and they had four sons and three daughters. At first, he built a large, two story log house in which they reared their children and lived untilnear the close of the Civil War.
     After Sherman burned Atlanta in 1864, he began his march of destruction to the sea, his path went through Athens, Georgia. But it was a wide path which reached into the northern parts of Pickens County. Groups of Yankees had scattered in every direction putting the tourch to crops and shelter alike giving their progress through the valley away by the clouds of smoke during the day and the glow at night.
     There were two groups to pass through Pumkintown. The first demanded food, took yourng horses, shot the old ones, and burned cribs of cor. One man became ill and was unable to go on. Alexander Edens, one of William's sons, had died and his wife Margaret took the sick soldier in and cared for him until a second group came and he was able to go with them. He told this lad group not to bother Mrs, Edens' things for she had been good to him. When leaving, she gave him a piece of bacon. He asked her to keep it for she and the children might need it, but she was not afraid to explain to him that she had plenty. He offered her a $20 gold piece, but she told him to keep it for he might need it before he got home.
     This second group centered their destruction on Dr Bill Edens. They had shot some old men as rebels. Knowing tihs, old men were afraid and would plan to hide when they had word the Yanks were coming. Dr. Bill had his hiding place selected. It was a deep hole in the Oolenoy River with a cave in the bank and screened with bushes and canes. When he heard the Yanks were coming, he went down the branch to the river and buried himself to the chin in the water, leaving Mrs Edens and son Samuel with the house. The soldiers askef for the old man, but the wife refused to tell. They began searching for him and two came along the river bank by him, but he had moved his head to the cave in the banks and they failed to see him. When they couldnt find him, they told the wife they would burn the house if she didnt tell where he was hidden. Still she refused to tell.
     After Mrs Edens had fed them, as they ordered, they lighted the tourch and set fire to the house. Dr. Bill, from his hiding place, watched the house and heard his wife begging and screaming. When the hosue and all its contents were in flames, the soldiers moved on.
     Dr. Bill, his wife Mary, and son Samuel were left to live with their children who were married and had homes. Dr. Bill said he would build a house that could not be burned down. With the aid of Merideth Looper, who lived at Pumpkintown, and Matthew Hendricks, he made brick of clay on his farm, and the house was made of these bricks. The chimeny is built in as part of the wall. The joists and timbers needed were hand hewn.
     This house still stands after 100 years. It is located about one-half mile west of Pumpkintown on Table Rock Road.

     Oolenoy Community Center is in the old elementary school building. It's good that some people make an effort to save their heritage by finding new uses for the older buildings. They've cleared the brush from the surrounding area and have outdoor shelters next to the branch which runs behind the old school. Guess a few kids came back in from recess wet and muddy occassionally.
     Besides the school there was the church that the settlers gathered around and in. Churches in this area, maybe other places too, started as arbor shelters, that was usually four corner posts (cut trees with the bark stripped off) and a mesh of limbs, branches and leaves for a roof.