By: Tara C. Workman
 
 

York Co. Library Local History Room

    In 1866 a young man named Arnold Friedheim settled in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He opened a small general store on Main Street. At this time he didn't know that Friedheim's would later become Rock Hill's largest community store.

    Arnold Friedheim was born in 1836, to a family of nine in Munder, Germany. At age seventeen he came to America. He found employment in Baltimore at a wholesale men's clothing firm. In 1859 he was sent to another branch in Salisbury, North Carolina. When Arnold was in Germany he wanted to enlist in the army, but he was too short. Now in America another war has come about and this time Arnold is sure to join.

    After the war Arnold returned to the Carolinas. First he settles in Charlotte, North Carolina, but he soon moves to Rock Hill, South Carolina. In 1866 he opened a store selling shoes and other merchandise. Then things started getting good, he married in 1870 to a lady named Sophie Stengel. They bought a house on Caldwell street, they would soon have twelve children.

    As for Friedheim's store, it moved in 1869 across the street, and as the business expanded two of Arnold's brother's started working for him. Their names were Julius and August. Then after they came, the store's name changed from Friedheim's to A. Friedheim & Bro.

    Things were going great for the trio and A. Friedheim & Bro. Were the largest clothing and other merchandise store in Rock Hill. But soon all things would change. On the night of April 2, 1898 a fire took most of the downtown portion of Rock Hill. After the fire occurred there were plans for a new Friedheim's, the building started construction in June of 1898 and was finished in January of 1899, it must have been built very well because 100 years later it is still standing!

    The new Friedheim's took everyone's breath away, with its tall ceilings, that buggys hung from and 3 stories of food, hardware, and other goods.  It gave the Friedheim's lots of wealth and power in rock Hill.  Arnold Friedheim and his family soon moved to another home on the corner of Main Street and Saluda Street. After this home burned in a fire, he moves into a third mansion known as "The White Palace"
This home was completed in 1909.

    In May 1915 Arnold Friedheim died. He left his wife and all 12 children. The store was still run by 4 of his sons. The Friedheim Building is no longer in business, though it is now the First Union Center.

    I chose this site because I have heard a lot about it but didn't know much about it's history. I believe this site is worth preserving because it holds a lot of Rock Hill's history. It was one of the most popular and successful buildings around York County.
 
 

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