6/15/2017

Cedar Falls, North Carolina

Cedar Falls Upper Mill, North Carolina

Today, Cedar Falls hardly more than a crossroads. the town has no business district and its houses are widely scattered. There are two textile mills in Cedar Falls, one of which is still operating. Both mills harnessed the water of the Deep River for power. Cedar Falls was the home of the first textile mill in Randolph County and one of the first in North Carolina. The first Cedar Falls Manufacturing Company mill was built near the extant but closed Upper Mill pictured above. It was built in 1836 originally and rebuilt several times. I am not sure how old the extant structure is but it seems likely that the oldest surviving sections of the upper mill were built around 1900. Cedar Falls Manufacturing Company built a second mill in 1895 a short distance away from the upper mill. This mill (photo below) is still being used for textile manufacture by Sapona Manufacturing. The Cedar Falls post office, which doubled as Cedar Falls Manufacturing's office is being restored (photo below). This 1870 building was recently hit by an arsonist. The ruined Franklinville Mill is just three miles east of Cedar Falls on the Deep River. Ramseur, another textile mill town is a little further downstream. Randleman, a town with several mills is about 10 miles upstream.

Cedar Falls, North Carolina

A history of textile mill towns on the Deep river.

A short history of Cedar Falls.

Sapona Mills (lower mill), Cedar Falls, North Carolina

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