Poe Mill

Front: Francis Winslow Poe (1853-1926) established the Poe Mill in 1896. The mill was built adjacent to the main line of the Southern R.R. and the White Oak branch of the Reedy River. The mill and the surrounding village were designed by Joseph E. Sirrine, who was then in the employ of Lockwood, Greene & Co. Sirrine’s unique design included two smoke stacks and also 238 mill houses. Construction was handled by local contractor Jacob O. Cagle. Production began in March 1896. Reverse: The mill was steam-powered and opened with 10,000 spindles and 300 looms. Within a decade, equipment had increased to more than 70,000 spindles and 1,700 looms. They employed 800 workers. A graded school was built in 1902 and the village supported both Baptist and Methodist Churches. During WWII the mill produced duck cloth that was used for tents and women replaced men on the factory floor. The mill closed in 1977 and was destroyed by fire in 2003.