This is the one of the buildings belonging to the former F.W. Poe Manufacturing Company, a cotton processing operation located in Greenville, SC. The main mill structure is no longer standing.
I found this building to be fascinating from several aspects. It appears abandoned and in some state of disrepair. However, two vehicles were parked on the side of the building, so it apparently still serves some purpose. The color of the brick facade is curious — it appears that the red bricks were painted a beige/tan color at one point, and that the paint is peeling. I have rarely seen bricks painted in such a way. It is also peculiar how the ivy has evidently taken root on the roof of the building and is growing down the side, rather than coming from the ground-up.
photograph by me
Local news outlets have indicated that the entire area around this site is scheduled for a redevelopment project. I am glad to have photographed this old building before anything happened to it!
During the height of the "textile era" in the southeastern US, the companies which operated mills often purchased huge tracts of land and created a "mill village" on the property. These mill villages consisted of housing for the workers, a church or two, recreation options, and sometimes even a store where everyday goods could be purchased.
The Textile Heritage Society of Greenville, SC, states that F.W. Poe Manufacturing Company was no exception and that on the company's 75 acres of land: "Buildings consisted of the main Mill, Ice Plant, Store, Church, and School. The Store had rooms for the Company Office, Clubs, and Society Halls etc." A further quote from their website indicates the large size of the mill:
The Mill owned by Francis Winslow Poe began operations in 1897.
Equipment was 10,080 Spindles and 304 Looms. In 1907 equipment
was increased to 61,312 Spindles and 1,520 Looms.
Within the "Digital Collections" section of Duke University Libraries is a wonderful, vintage postcard which depicts the mill, itself. This large facility was across the street from the building I photographed, above. Only the two smokestacks were still standing when I visited.
photo credit: Duke University Libraries, "Digital Collections"
The Textile Heritage Society of Greenville, SC, provides information about the fate of the mill, as well as some information that might be of interest to those interested in local history:
The Mill was sold in 1947, to Ely & Walker Company. The Mill was sold again in 1954 by Ely & Walker Company to Burlington Industries. The Mill closed in 1977 and burned down in 2003. The 2 iconic smoke stacks of the Mill still remain.
Frank Ely owner of Janis & Company formed a partnership with one David Davis Walker in 1879. The resulting alliance was named Ely & Walker Company. Frank Ely died in 1890 and David Davis Walker died in 1918. (David Davis Walker was the Grandfather of President George Walker Bush).
Thanks for sharing this fascinating place with me! 😊
!steemitworldmap 34.869835 lat -82.413223 long Poe Mill, Greenville, SC D3SCR
