Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - 28

Around GEORGIA
Left: The Mill at Crown Garden is a former Dalton cotton
mill built in the 1880s. It now houses apartments,
restaurants and shops. Above: Catherine Evans
Whitener makes an early chenille blanket. The women
in Dalton sold their handmade creations along Dixie
Highway in the early 1900s, before the city developed
its reputation as " the Carpet Capital of the World. "
Continued from page 26
warehouse, became a manufacturing facility for
men's suits and sports coats, then military garments
during World War I.
Bowdon
Don't miss the small town with a big name in
men's and women's apparel, especially men's suits.
The textile industry here created suits for former
President Jimmy Carter.
At the Shelnutt-Wessinger House/Bowdon Area
Historical Society Museum (105 College View St.;
bit.ly/bowdonhistorical) learn about the history of
the Warren P. Sewell Clothing Co. and its many
business expansions, partnerships and new
companies and see suits worn by the former
president.
LaMar Manufacturing made suits for Carter
for 20 years, from his time in the Georgia Senate
through his presidency. Each suit was lined with
fabric embellished with his initials.
" The Bowdon Area Historical Society worked
hard to incorporate and save their history and put
authentic artifacts in their museum, " says Keri P.
Adams, assistant director of the UWG Center for
Public History.
Lindale
This unincorporated area in Floyd County is
an example of a single-mill town with a mill village
still intact. The remains of the Lindale Mill
(6 Park Ave. S.E.; lindalemill.com) serve as a
wedding and event venue. The mill's two iconic
28 Georgia Magazine October 2024
smokestacks still stand.
The mill and surrounding village of houses were built in the early
1900s, along with recreational facilities for the mill employees, including an
auditorium, library, swimming pool and billiards room.
" This mill town is so cool, and I love looking at the houses, " McCleary
says. " There are different types of mill houses, so if you had a little
higher-up job in the factory, you would get a better house. "
Dalton
Nicknamed " the Carpet Capital of the World, " Dalton is well-known for
its chenille and carpet industries.
Learn how female entrepreneurs played a significant role in northwest
Georgia textiles. What started as women selling their chenille bedspreads
along the roadside in the early 1900s evolved into an international carpet
industry.
Buildings associated with the tufted chenille bedspreads are along
U.S. 41, including " spread shacks, " where women sold them to travelers on
this stretch of the Dixie Highway.
" I love the story of these women on Dixie Highway who would have
these chenille stands, " McCleary says. " They were smart. It's a story that's
been romanticized, but this was definitely a place where women played a
major role in the textile industry. "
Learn more about the town's history at the visitors center in the
historic freight depot downtown (305 South Depot St.; visitdaltonga.com)
and pick up a brochure about driving the Textile Trail.
The Hamilton House Museum (701 Chattanooga Ave.;
whitfield-murrayhistoricalsociety.org) is open by appointment. It
features local chenille products and interprets textile-industry history.
Experience a piece of history at The Mill at Crown Garden (825
Chattanooga Ave.; themillatcrowngarden.com). The mill, which dates back
to the 1880s, has been converted into an apartment complex, shopping
center, restaurants and retreat center.
Laura Berrios is a freelance writer based in Alpharetta.
COURTESY WHITFIELD-MURRAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
COURTESY WHITFIELD-MURRAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
http://bit.ly/bowdonhistorical http://www.visitdaltonga.com http://www.whitfield-murrayhistoricalsociety.org http://www.themillatcrowngarden.com http://www.lindalemill.com
Georgia Magazine - October 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - October 2024
