Van Patton Shoals
Van Patton Shoals are a river rapids and an unincorporated community in South Carolina located between Woodruff and Fountain Inn, and near the Crescent Community.Geography
Located on the Enoree River, Van Patton Shoals sits on the border of Spartanburg County and Laurens County. The geographical coordinates are.Origin
Van Patton Shoals was settled by Nicholas Van Patten in the early 1800s, in order to take advantage of the Enoree River as a source of hydroelectric power. Originally named Van Patton, the shoals were later renamed to Van Patton Shoals.The Van Patton Bridge located on Highway 418 connects Spartanburg County and Laurens County. Due to flooding, the bridge had to be replaced in 1996.Lawsuit
On December 7, 1944, a lawsuit was filed against Spartanburg County over a death on Van Patton Bridge. In Mahon v. Spartanburg County, the death of George W. Mahon was investigated. Mahon drowned in the Enoree River after he drove his truck off of the bridge. In the lawsuit, the plaintiff argued that the death of Mahon was caused by the County's negligence regarding the maintenance of the bridge. The case was argued before the Supreme Court of South Carolina, where the case was returned to lower courts for a retrial.