Remembering ‘mill town’ in Tryon

Lately, I have been reading with interest about the conversion of the old Adams Mill into luxury condominiums. The articles brought back memories of another textile mill in Tryon back in the mid 1950s, but first a little history lesson. In the early to mid 1900s, textile mills sprang up across the south. To lure farmers into the industry and to better control their labor force, many of the mills built living accommodations on mill property for their workers. Employee's rented these small, wood frame houses that surrounded the mill. Even though the textile mills were located inside a town, the mill and the worker's houses that surrounded the mill took on a social and geographic dimension of their own. Thus, the term, "mill town" came into being.

Tryon had a mill town and to a small degree still does. In the mid 1950s the mill was Southern Mercerizing. It was located just off highway 108 on Scriven Road. I remember riding my bike there to play with my cousins, Fredia and Linda Porter. I would ride down Rector Street until it came to a dead end at a creek. After pushing my bike across the creek via a foot log, I followed a steep path up a bank onto highway 108.

A short distance away was the entrance to mill town marked by a small mill pond covered with green algae and water lilies (I understand that the pond is still there and is home to many ducks and other fowl).

After getting onto Scriven Road, my ride started going down hill towards the mill that lay at the bottom. On the hillside on my right were a series of wood framed houses differing in size but similar in appearance. The first house that I recognized belonged to Albert and Arlene "Cooter" Sawyer. The Sawyers had two children, Jane and Jimmy. I understand that Jimmy now lives in Thailand. To my knowledge Mrs. Sawyer is one of several matriarchs of mill town that still live there. The next familiar house belonged to Mr. David and Minnie (sic) Laughter. Minnie was known by all as "big mama." Further down on the right was a house where I would stop quite often. The house belonged to Lum and Margie Peace. They had a small store in the basement of their home. I would stop there to buy penny candy or bubble gum. Continuing on my journey, I would pass by the Owens' house perhaps pausing to wave at Gene, Gary, Punch, or Elaine.

As I approached the mill, Scriven Road split off to begin an oval course around the large structure. The mill was a large brick compound that was several stories tall and surrounded by a chain link fence. I remember narrow windows that, I believe, were either painted over or darkened by some manner. Steam rose from several sources both inside and outside the compound.

I passed by numerous houses as I approached the first turn of the oval course around the mill. In the middle of the curve, a road veered off, breaking the oval. I followed that road, crossed a bridge over a small creek until I reached the Corn residence. Orville and Bea lived there with their children, Gerald and Jean. Then I reached my destination, Uncle Fred's house.

My Uncle Fred Porter and his wife Ella Mae worked in the mill for the greater part of their lives renting the house from Southern Mercerizing (When the mill closed they bought the house for a few thousand dollars). On many days Fred worked third shift (11 p.m. to 7 a.m.) at the mill. In fact, he dug out a tiny space underneath the house and built a concrete block bunker. It became his daytime sleeping place that was cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and, most importantly, devoid of light and sound.

The purpose of my journey to mill town was to play with Uncle Fred's two daughters, cousins Fredia and Linda. Often we would go to the creek beneath a small bridge near their house to catch minnows. Our "minnow trap" consisted of a mason jar and a yarn cone from the mill. We would cut off the smaller end of the cone, place a piece of bread into the jar, and stick the small end of the cone into the jar. Miraculously, the tiny fish would swim into the big end into the jar, but could not find their way out of the smaller end!

Late in the afternoon, after a day of minnow trapping, tadpole catching, and creek wading, I would get on my bike and continue around the mill toward my home. I passed by several other houses to complete my lap around the mill. The Bradley family lived near my uncle. Bill and Ruby Bradley had several children including Charles, Ernest, Kay, Barbara and Frank. Further down the road, I passed Brenda and Fred Gibbs' house. I remember their son and daughter. I think their names were Jimmy and Carolyn. As I approached the final turn of the oval around the mill, I passed the Belue house. Joyce Belue, a classmate at Tryon High School lived there. Joyce later married Shank Hipp, "Mr. Harmon Field." From the Belue house, I began my uphill trek up Scriven Road toward highway 108. I passed by other houses including my Uncle J.B. Porter who lived in mill town but did not work in the mill. There were many other families that lived and worked in mill town. I regret not being able to mention them all, but would appreciate e-mails from other mill town residents.

I will always remember my trips to mill town. In the early sixties, unionization and cheaper wages overseas led to the demise of the southern textile industry (even thought Carolina Yard still operates in mill town). When the textile mills closed, their empty buildings became vacant eyesores. Their demise also signaled an end to the close knit mill town communities. This is sad, but I am delighted to see mill buildings such as Adams Mill being refurbished as condos. Perhaps, in some small way, this will bring back memories of mill towns for people. It did for me.

Footnotes: Kudos to my cousin, Fredia Porter Morse, for providing information on the families of mill town. Frieda still lives there not far from her childhood home. Without her description of mill town, this column could not have been written.

Thanks, "cuz"

My "bulletin buddy" Linda Frieze has solved yet another mystery from my last column. The little log house behind the "new" Tryon High School gym was used for Brownie Scout meetings. Thanks, Linda.