American Bemberg Corporation Plant (Abandoned)
Elizabethton, TN Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The old lettered smokestack Bemberg is for a company that made belts for bias ply tires. A local was telling me the factory has been abandoned for about 40 years which was about the time bias ply's gave way to radials. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 02-08
The giant American Bemberg Corporation Plant smokestack is one of those landmarks you can spot from all over Elizabethton. With its bold "BEMBERG" lettering painted down the side, it's been watching over the town for generations.
The rayon plant opened in 1926 and grew into one of the area's largest employers. During World War II it produced materials for parachutes, and many locals also remember the plant for making rayon used in bias-ply tires.
The factory closed in 1974, but the smokestack and much of the old plant remain. It's an impressive reminder of the days when textile mills helped shape towns across East Tennessee.
UPDATE: The Bemberg smokestack still towers over Elizabethton, while the abandoned factory remains one of the city's most recognizable landmarks. 07-26
CSX Locomotive
Erwin, TN Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Rail fans will want to keep an eye out in Erwin, where this CSX locomotive was photographed in one of the town's sprawling rail yards. For generations, Erwin was a true railroad town, and it wasn't unusual to see locomotives coming and going throughout the day. 02-08
The yard was once the heart of the old Clinchfield Railroad before becoming part of CSX. Coal trains, freight cars, and locomotives kept the place busy for decades, making the railroad the town's largest employer and helping shape Erwin into the community it is today.
UPDATE: CSX closed most of the yard's operations in 2015, eliminating more than 300 jobs and bringing an end to an important chapter of Erwin's railroad history. While freight trains still roll through town, the once-bustling yard is much quieter today. In the years since, downtown Erwin has found new life as local businesses and tourism have helped write the town's next chapter. 07-26
Olympia Cotton Mill (Closed)
Columbia, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The twin towers of what turned out to be the Olympia Cotton Mill is located in Columbia, SC. Atone time the largest in the south, what made this mill unique is not that the towers were more decorative than one usually finds on a textile mill, but that the complex still contained its original powerhouse. While the oldest part of the complex had already been converted into lofts, this part was in the process of conversion. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 02-08
The massive brick Olympia Mill dominates this part of Columbia, and it's one of those places that's almost impossible to drive past without wondering what it looked like when thousands of people came to work here every day. The long rows of windows and towering walls give you an idea of just how enormous the operation once was.
Olympia Cotton Mill
Columbia, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Construction began in 1899, and when the mill opened the following year it was celebrated as the largest cotton mill under one roof in the world. For decades it was one of Columbia's biggest employers, helping transform the city into a major Southern textile center. The huge complex remained busy through much of the twentieth century before changing hands several times and finally closing after a devastating fire in 1996.
Olympia Cotton Mill
Columbia, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Fortunately, the story didn't end there. Instead of disappearing like so many old textile mills, Olympia was carefully restored and given a new life. Today the old mill buildings still dominate the skyline, offering a glimpse into the days when cotton mills powered the economy across much of the Carolinas.
UPDATE: The former Olympia Mill has been converted into apartments, and the restored complex remains one of Columbia's most impressive reminders of the city's textile heritage. 07-26
Piggly Wiggly (Gone)
Pittsboro, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
There's something comforting about spotting a Piggly Wiggly sign while driving through a small Southern town. This one greeted shoppers in Pittsboro for a little over a decade, standing just a few blocks from the historic courthouse and serving the community with a familiar name that has been part of Southern roadsides for generations. 03-08
The Pittsboro store opened in 2007 and was locally owned by Blake Andrews. Like many independent grocery stores, it faced increasing competition from larger chains nearby. After ten years in business, the store closed on July 14, 2018, bringing an end to Pittsboro's Piggly Wiggly. The shopping center remains, but the familiar sign and grocery aisles are now just a memory.
UPDATE: The former Piggly Wiggly space has since been repurposed for other tenants, but longtime residents still remember when the famous Pig was part of everyday life in Pittsboro. 07-26
Mt. Croghan Mini Mart (Closed)
Mt. Croghan, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Cruising along Highway 9 through Mt. Croghan, you might have come across the Mt. Croghan Mini Mart sitting right along the main road. It was the kind of small-town gas stop where you could fill the tank, grab a cold drink, and be back on the road in a few minutes. 02-08
The little service station had the simple look of countless rural gas stops that once dotted highways across the South. Nothing fancy, just a storefront, pumps out front, and a sign to catch the eye of anyone passing through town.
UPDATE: The Mt. Croghan Mini Mart has since closed, but the old building still stands along Highway 9 with its fading roadside signs. 07-26
American Bemberg Corporation Plant (Abandoned)
CSX Locomotive
Olympia Cotton Mill (Closed)
Olympia Cotton Mill
Olympia Cotton Mill
