10/08/2026
👻 History, Legends & New Faces at Fort Mill Rotary!
This week’s Fort Mill Rotary meeting took us on a fascinating journey through Fort Mill’s history, legends and even a few ghost stories! 👻
We were excited to recognize Joanne Walker as our Rotarian of the Week! Joanne shared a little about herself, her family and her life in Fort Mill — including her love of ghost stories. That interest made her the perfect person to connect us with this week’s guest speaker, Kimberly Long of the Fort Mill History Museum.
🏮 Legends & Lanterns
Kimberly shared the stories behind the museum’s popular Legends & Lanterns tours, where Fort Mill’s history comes alive through some of the town’s most intriguing — and sometimes spooky — stories.
And if you’ve been on the tour before, don’t assume you’ve heard it all! The tour changes every year, giving even returning guests something new to discover.
One of the stories Kimberly shared centered around the Founders House and the White family. Sam and Esther White experienced tremendous tragedy in their family, including the loss of their son, Robert Allison White, who died at just three years old. Their daughter, Grace White, grew up in the home and experienced multiple miscarriages before passing away at just 36 while pregnant.
According to local legends, Grace’s presence may still linger in the house. Visitors have reported unusual activity, including seeing her image, hearing children laughing and playing upstairs, and even feeling movement in the bed. And then there’s the famous portrait of Sam White — with visitors claiming that his eyes seem to follow them as they move through the room. 👀
🇺🇸 Stories That Shaped Our Community
Kimberly also took us much further back in time, sharing stories from the Revolutionary War and the Battle of Brattonsville, including the role the area played in helping turn the tide of the war.
One particularly fascinating story involved Martha Bratton and the enslaved people who helped deliver critical information about the location of British troops. That intelligence helped the Patriots prepare for an attack and played a role in a pivotal moment during the Revolutionary War.
She also shared some of the darker history surrounding the Civil War era, including the burial grounds at Brattonsville and the stories of the people whose lives were intertw**ed with this community.
History isn’t always easy, but understanding these stories helps us better understand the place we call home.
To learn more about the Fort Mill History Museum, upcoming events and tours — including Legends & Lanterns, History 101 and the museum’s popular history-themed bar crawl — visit fmhm.org.
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🎃 A Few Rotary Updates
A few other highlights from the meeting:
🦁 Catawba Ridge High School’s scarecrow is #122! Be sure to check it out and support the students — they did a fantastic job!
👓 Vision Screening: A big thank-you to the Lions Club for partnering with us on vision screenings.
👕 We also heard a thank-you for our recent service at Bethel Men’s Shelter, including the donation of a case of TP and plus-size clothing.
💵 Happy Dollars this month and next will support Tega Graze and Historic Paradise as they work to provide Thanksgiving meals to local families.
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🎉 Welcome to Rotary!
We were thrilled to welcome two new members — Rhonda Wild and Kelly Martin! We’re excited to have you both as part of the Fort Mill Rotary family. 💙
And, of course, there was plenty of Rotary fun — from singing and celebrating birthdays to fellowship with fellow Rotarians and guests. 🎶🎂 And a delightful meal!
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📅 Save the Dates!
Mark your calendars for some exciting events ahead:
🎄 December 9 — Holiday Luncheon at Fort Mill High School
🎰 March 4 — Rotary Casino Night
📚 May 5 — Literacy Picnic
And don’t forget the Rock ‘n’ Roll Foundation 5K coming up!
