Haw River North Carolina
Updated 6/1/2017
Granite Finishing Mill, Haw River, NC
Haw River is a classic southern textile mill town on the Haw River near Burlington NC. The town was established at some point prior to 1844 but does not have many surviving 19th century buildings aside from two textile mills. There are two large textile mills and one smaller mill in town, all of them closed. The Granite Mill, which became one of worlds largest manufacturers of corduroy is on the north side of Main Street on the river. The oldest section of the Granite Mill was built in 1844. It was expanded many times and changed hands several times over the years. It was most recently owned by Cone Mills and at one point employed as many as a 1,000 people. Cone Mills declared bankruptcy in 2003. Since then, the mill buildings have been used marginally for storage, etc. Granite Mill National Register of Historic Places Registration Form.
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The same company that built the Granite Mills built the Holt-Tabardrey (sometimes Holt and Cora) Mills south of Main Street in 1898. That mill complex spans the railroad tracks and was apparently built in stages over many years. The Holt-Tabardrey Mills have been abandoned. There is another smaller mill, most recently occupied by Sue-Lynn Textiles at Main and State Streets. There are several news items online about potential renovation of the Granite and Holt-Tabardrey mills. There were no signs of any work taking place when I visited in spring 2017.
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
Inside The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
A Section of the Granite Mill being demolished in Haw River NC
At one point Haw River had a small commercial district close to the river. There is very little left of this historic core. There is a nice little park on the west bank of the Haw River with a view of the mill and rapids.
A comprehensive list of every mill in the Haw River watershed.
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills, Haw River, North Carolina
Sue-Lynn Textiles, Haw River, North Carolina
Sue-Lynn Textiles, Haw River, North Carolina
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills on the south side of highway 49
The Holt-Tabardrey Mills on the south side of highway 49
Raising Chickens near the park on the Haw River NC
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