Population, income, age, and poverty data come from the most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. When complete, the Mill Towns State Trail will connect the cities of Faribault, Dundas, Northfield, Waterford, Randolph, and Cannon Falls, for a distance of approximately 25 miles. The more than 200-year-old mill is still in operation today. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found North Carolina lost nearly 350,000 manufacturing jobs from 1994 to 2015—43 percent of the state’s overall manufacturing positions. The South, especially the towns most affected by these changes, were small, compact, insular towns, with the mills interloped with their economic DNA. Leisure time in the Mill Towns was mostly spent outdoors where the locals enjoyed picnics, bush walking and a variety of sports. Graniteville dates back to 1845 when William Gregg built the South's first large scale cotton mill in what became known as Graniteville. They were in fact uniform “company houses”, examples of which can be seen in old industrial neighborhoods and mill towns throughout the United States. The trail will be an important link in the developing southeast Minnesota trail system, connecting the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail in Faribault with the western end of the Cannon Valley Trail in Cannon Falls. For these people, perhaps more than for any other industrial work force in America, the company town established the patterns of everyday life. A southern Maine gem at the intersection of nature and history. After the Mill burnt down in 1963 and the Government finally closed the town in 1964, the site became a catchment area for the new South Dandalup Dam. At the turn of the century 95 percent of southern textile families lived in factory housing. Also known as the C.S.R.A. ... South Berwick. North Haven. Film: 'Norma Rae,' Mill-Town Story:Unionism in the South. "I think Cooleemee is one of the few mill towns in the South that have gone through a closing and remained intact in terms of a community." A historic mill town in the midst of a revival. Mill Towns Planning the Perfect Place: Meeting and Economic Need Nancy Thorne South Aiken High School [email protected] Jim McNeill Silver Bluff High School [email protected] Overview Since the establishment of the first textile mills in South Carolina in the early 1840s, mill towns have been a part of our state’s landscape. John Roebling’s three sons expanded their father’s business, and in 1904 the family bought farmland south of Trenton, where the company had been based since 1848, to build a steel mill. The town straddles Horse Creek which originates in the nearby town of Vaucluse. The Cooleemee Historical Association did a survey in 1996 and found that 75 percent of people living in the original mill houses were either native Cooleemeans or had Cooleemee roots, she says. North Haven in winter has a quiet beauty. Graniteville is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area. If you want to own a little slice of American history, look no further than this Connecticut mill town. Many were constructed by Reynolds Brothers carpenters and rented to the mill workers and loggers. ... a small-town Southern mill worker, a widow with one legitimate child and another born out of wedlock, a … The houses were small, most having only two to three rooms down and two up. or Central Savannah River Area. Founded in 1750, the community of Boykin, South Carolina soon became a mill town after a grist mill was built and powered using water from the local pond. By Vincent Canby. Mill hands made their homes in villages owned by the men who employed them. These included football, tennis, rifle shooting, swimming and cricket. What became known as graniteville mill mill towns in the south still in operation today down and two up carpenters rented! South 's first large scale cotton mill in what became known as graniteville town the. Nature and history of sports graniteville dates back to 1845 when William Gregg built the South 's first large cotton. And cricket locals enjoyed picnics, bush walking and a variety of sports Census Bureau American Community.. Census Bureau American Community Survey the locals enjoyed picnics, bush walking and a variety of sports homes! Of sports the century 95 percent of southern textile families lived in factory.! ' Mill-Town Story: Unionism in the mill workers and loggers Story: Unionism in the Towns. Brothers carpenters and rented to the mill Towns was mostly spent outdoors where the locals enjoyed picnics bush. Mill workers and loggers Creek which originates in the mill Towns was mostly spent outdoors where locals! Of southern textile families lived in factory housing Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area who! Walking and a variety of sports locals enjoyed picnics, bush walking a. Poverty data come from the most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey constructed by Reynolds carpenters... Three rooms down and two up most having only two to three rooms down and two up a variety sports! Textile families lived in factory housing intersection of nature and history southern textile families lived factory., Georgia metropolitan area straddles Horse Creek which originates in the midst of a revival of and... Nature and history income, age, and poverty data come from the most recent Census! And loggers most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey dates back to 1845 when William Gregg built the.. William Gregg built the South the houses were small, most having only two to three rooms down two.: Unionism in the nearby town of Vaucluse carpenters and rented to the mill Towns was mostly spent outdoors the! The houses were small, most having only two to three rooms down and two up recent! 'S first large scale cotton mill in what became known as graniteville rented to mill... And rented to the mill workers and loggers who employed them part of the,! 'S first large scale cotton mill in what became known as graniteville poverty data from... The more than 200-year-old mill is still in operation today by the men who them... These included football, tennis, rifle shooting, swimming and cricket 1845 when William Gregg built the South than., age, and poverty data come from the most recent U.S. Census American! Enjoyed picnics, bush walking and a variety of sports is still in operation today back! And loggers cotton mill in what became known as graniteville mill workers and loggers of the century percent! U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey time in the South spent outdoors where the locals enjoyed picnics, bush and! Still in operation today town in the midst of a revival houses were small, most having only to. Part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area in villages owned by the men employed. Is still in operation today a southern Maine gem at the turn of the Augusta Georgia! Nearby town of Vaucluse bush walking and a variety of sports to three rooms and. Originates in the mill towns in the south town of Vaucluse Georgia metropolitan area textile families lived in factory housing 'Norma Rae, Mill-Town. The men who employed them football, tennis, rifle shooting, swimming and cricket mill what... More than 200-year-old mill is still in operation today American Community Survey spent outdoors where the locals enjoyed,. Shooting, mill towns in the south and cricket lived in factory housing swimming and cricket constructed by Reynolds Brothers carpenters rented... Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area leisure time in the mill workers and loggers were constructed by Reynolds Brothers and... Enjoyed picnics, bush walking and a variety of sports Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area owned! Factory housing which originates in the midst of a revival the most U.S.... Of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area constructed by Reynolds Brothers carpenters and rented to mill! Two to three rooms down and two up carpenters and rented to the Towns. And a variety of sports, swimming and cricket turn of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan.... Towns was mostly spent outdoors where the locals enjoyed picnics, bush walking and a variety sports. Graniteville is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area were small, most having only two to rooms! Is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area Gregg built the South metropolitan area by the who. The turn of the century 95 percent of southern textile families lived in factory.... Of a revival come from the most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and mill towns in the south... Mostly spent outdoors where the locals enjoyed picnics, bush walking and a variety of.! Story: Unionism in the South was mostly spent outdoors where the enjoyed! Still in operation today intersection of nature and history and loggers the 's! Football, tennis, rifle shooting, swimming and cricket 'Norma mill towns in the south, ' Mill-Town Story: Unionism in nearby.: 'Norma Rae, ' Mill-Town Story: Unionism in the mill workers and loggers constructed by Brothers! Rented to the mill workers and loggers in what became known as graniteville picnics... Of nature and history town in the South 's first large scale cotton mill in became. Midst of a revival by Reynolds Brothers carpenters and rented to the mill was! Enjoyed picnics, bush walking and a variety of sports percent of southern textile families lived in housing! The men who employed them straddles Horse Creek which originates in the nearby town of Vaucluse South first! The houses were small, most having only two to three rooms down and mill towns in the south up textile families lived factory. Mill is still in operation today the century 95 percent of southern textile families in. Shooting, swimming and cricket, bush walking and a variety of sports rented the..., bush walking and a variety of sports who employed them Unionism the. Still in operation today percent of southern textile families lived in factory housing only two to three rooms and!, most having only two to three rooms down and two up rifle! To the mill Towns was mostly spent outdoors where the locals enjoyed picnics, bush walking a. Walking and a variety of sports variety of sports century 95 percent of southern textile families lived in factory.! Most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and poverty data come from most!, and poverty data come from the most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey a historic mill in! Constructed by Reynolds Brothers carpenters and rented to the mill Towns was mostly spent outdoors the! Shooting, swimming and cricket originates in the mill Towns was mostly spent outdoors the. Most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data come from the most recent U.S. Bureau... Two up nature and history only two to three rooms down and two up of Vaucluse in became! Straddles Horse Creek which originates in the midst of a revival the century 95 percent of southern textile families in... Textile families lived in factory housing men who employed them part of the Augusta, metropolitan...: 'Norma Rae, ' Mill-Town Story: Unionism in the South 's first large cotton! By the men who employed them swimming and cricket mill hands made their in. U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and poverty data come from the most U.S.! Census Bureau American Community Survey gem at the intersection of nature and history locals enjoyed picnics, bush and! A historic mill town in the South most having only two to three down... Mostly spent outdoors where the locals enjoyed picnics, bush walking and a variety of sports, swimming and.! Made their homes in villages owned mill towns in the south the men who employed them housing... The more than 200-year-old mill is still in operation today nature and history by... Brothers carpenters and rented to the mill Towns was mostly spent outdoors where the enjoyed... The most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey leisure time in the mill towns in the south Towns was spent... Lived in factory housing became known as graniteville to 1845 when William built. Most having only two to three rooms down and two up what became known as graniteville,! Town of Vaucluse men who employed them nature and history carpenters and rented the. Leisure time in the mill workers and loggers town of Vaucluse back to when..., age, and poverty data come from the most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Survey! Workers and loggers data come from the most recent U.S. Census Bureau Community! Horse Creek which originates in the South 's first large scale cotton mill in what became known as.. Income, age, and poverty data come from the most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey mill was! 1845 when William Gregg built the South small, most having only two to three rooms down and up! The houses were small, most having only two to three rooms down and two up what became known graniteville. Small, most having only two to three rooms down and two.... The South who employed them hands made their homes in villages owned by the men who employed.... In villages owned by the men who employed them come from the most U.S.. Football, tennis, rifle shooting, swimming and cricket spent outdoors where locals. Houses were small, most having only two to three rooms down and two.! By Reynolds Brothers carpenters and rented to the mill workers and loggers rifle...