Cotton and Logging Mills Employed Many

Inside the Brevard Cotton Mill in its early days.

Empty spindles at Pisgah Mills in 1952. 
The mill continued to operate until 1960.

The largest manufacturer near downtown Brevard in the early 1900s was Brevard Cotton Mill.  The mill, located on Whitmire St. just west of the depot, was constructed in 1909.  An article in the Sylvan Valley News stated that the mill would begin operations as soon as the electrical power from Cascade Power Company from connected.  In early October it was reported that the first shipment of industrial yarn made at the mill had been shipped.  The mill had 4000 spindles operating in 1911, by 1924 there were 6500 spindles.  During the early years the mill went through a number of ownership and name changes.  

It was known as Sapphire Cotton Mill for a short time before becoming Pisgah Mills in the early 1930s.  

The extensive logging industry in Transylvania County meant there was ample timber to supply two lumber yards and several small manufacturers.  J.A. Miller had a lumber company, numerous warehouses, and a planning mill on the west side of Railroad Ave. from around 1900 into the 1930s.  Frank Jenkins’ Brevard Lumber Company on King St. opened in 1910.  It had a woodworking shop in addition to lumber and building supplies.

Fontaine Block Factory, which was in operation prior to 1911, made shuttle blocks from dogwood.  The Railroad Avenue building was destroyed by fire in December 1916.  Although plans to rebuild were announced no further information on the business was located.

DeVane Manufacturing provided “great quantities of pick handles for the use of the government in the operations going on in the Panama Canal zone” according to a tourism brochure issued by The Brevard Club around 1910.  By 1917 the company was owned by Henry Carrier and Victor Fontaine and moved to the Charleston, SC area.  Royal Morrow later bought out Fontaine.

J.M. Kilpatrick managed Kilpatrick and King Machine Shop which manufactured turned columns, door and window frames, and mantels.  Kilpatrick was a leading building contractor throughout the county for many years and employed large crews of workmen.

On the west side of town Joseph Silversteen’s Transylvania Tanning opened in 1917.  The tannery offered employment to a large number of workers including African-Americans. 

During the first three decades of the 20^th century there were other small scale industries located in Brevard making jobs plentiful and boasting the local economy.  Next week Picturing the Past will look at the impact of the population boom on Brevard schools around the turn of the 20^th century.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.