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Dedications & Acknowledgments
The Southern Connector was designed
to support the communities of Greenville County and its surrounding
areas. But even before this effort, a number of key individuals
had already begun shaping and cultivating this rapidly growing
region. In their memory, the Southern Connector proudly pays
tribute to these leaders for their civic dedication and hard
work.
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As one of South Carolina’s and Greenville’s most
distinguished business and civic leaders, Buck Mickel’s
wealth of knowledge and experience as a businessman and public
servant made him a trusted advisor and mentor to many throughout
the county, state, and nation.
In 1948, after serving in World
War II as a United States Maritime Academy Midshipman and
in the Korean War as a First Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers,
Mr. Mickel began his remarkable business career with Daniel
Construction Company, later acquired by Fluor Corporation
of Greenville, South Carolina. He took Daniel Construction
Company from a regional player to a global construction giant
with expertise in many markets. After Fluor’s acquisition
in 1977, Fluor Daniel emerged and became the principal subsidiary
of the Fluor Daniel Company, an international engineering,
construction, and diversified service company. Mr. Mickel
retired his executive position with Fluor Daniel in March
1987, but remained a director until his retirement in December
1997. He passed away July 23, 1998. |
Mr. Mickel was the recipient of
numerous awards and recognitions for his many contributions
and achievements, including our state’s highest honor,
the “Order of the Palmetto”, in 1977, and was
named South Carolina’s “Business Man of the Year”
in 1983 by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Mickel
was a community leader who served as a Life Trustee of Clemson
University, a trustee of Converse College, a trustee of Brookgreen
Gardens, and a member of the Advisory Board of the South Carolina
Foundation of Independent Colleges.
For these reasons, it is fitting
and proper that the Southern Connector is designated the “Buck
Mickel Memorial Southern Connector”. May this highway
become a visible legacy to all his important contributions
to the community.
John Henry Chapman was a prominent landowner in southern Greenville
County. He graduated form South Carolina State College and
began teaching at New Pleasant Grove Baptist Church School.
He was the founder, builder, and principle of the Chapman
Grove High School. Chapman also advised local farmers on agricultural
issues including egg, cattle, and crop production.
His leadership helped bring paved
roads, electricity, recreational equipment, and better schools
to the rural parts of southern Greenville County. Chapman
became well known after his volunteer efforts during the flu
epidemic in 1918 and 1919. From 1932 to 1939, he was listed
in the “Who’s Who in the South”.
For his civic efforts in the development
of southern Greenville County, the Reedy Fork Bridge that
crosses the Buck Mickel Memorial Southern Connector has been
named in his honor.
After finishing Augusta Business College in 1905, J. Walter
Moon served as Magistrate of Grove Township, Clerk of Court,
and member of the House of Representatives from 1921 to 1925.
Along with John Harris, J. Walter Moon built and maintained
telephone lines from Greenville City limits to Bessie Grocery
Store on Augusta Road. He continued to shape the community
by building the Moonville Mercantile Grocery Store on Hwy.
25. J. Walter Moon died March 14, 1958.
For his efforts in growing and developing southern Greenville
County, the intersection of South Carolina State Highway 25
and the Buck Mickel Memorial Southern Connector has been named
in his memory.
Charles H. Rice was a prosperous business owner of Rice Auto
Alignment. He served on the Board of Commissioners of Gantt
Fire, Sewer, and Police District from 1976 to 1984. Rice was
a key community leader and an active member of Grove Road
Baptist Church, South Carolina Moose Lodge, VFW, and Sons
of Confederate Veterans. He served in the US Navy during World
War II and was elected to the House of Representatives District
#25 from 1984 to 1988.
Chick Rice strongly
believed in the benefits of the Southern Connector and felt
it was critical to the growth and development of the Upstate.
In his memory, the intersection of the Buck Mickel Memorial
Southern Connector and South Carolina State Highway 20 has
been named the Charles H. (Chick) Rice Interchange.
Charles Pack Willimon was born in Greenville in 1925. He attended
Greenville High School and graduated from Clemson University
in 1949. After working for the Agricultural Science Department
for four years, he returned to his roots in Greenville to
operate the family farm off Fork Shoals Road.
Shortly after, Willimon became
interested in golf course management. In 1961, the Bonnie
Brae Golf Club was built on the Willimon farm, and he worked
at the club until 1998. During this time, he was elected President
of the Carolina Golf Course Superintendents Association, and
in 1994 was awarded its Distinguished Service Award.
As a member of the Greater Greenville
Chamber of Commerce’s Transportation Committee, Charles
Pack Willimon was instrumental in making the Southern Connector
become a reality. Charles Pack Willimon died in March of 1999.
For his steadfast commitment to
his community, the intersection of Fork Shoals Road and the
Buck Mickel Memorial Southern Connector has been named in
his honor.
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