Oneida Cotton Mill

1881
Graham, NC

An early view on a postcard Bill Wornell Textile Postcard Collection

 

 

 

In 1881, L. Banks Holt, son of Edwin Michael Holt took over Lafayette Holt’s Mill, the first  cotton mill in Alamance County built away from the banks of a creek or river and to rely on steam to operate the plant.

Oneida Mills – Plants 1, 2 and 3 as shown in a special edition of the Raleigh News & Observer 1895

 

 

 

 

The Oneida Mill in a 1909 postcard – UNC Archives

 

 

 

 

This home now a branch office of Bank of America belonged to L. Banks Holt’s sister Mary Elizabeth and her husband James Williamson.  Unfortunately, the L. Banks Holt house was razed in the 1960s.  It was located one block over from the Williamson house across from the police station in Graham, NC.
Photo Gary N. Mock

 

The mill was built in several stages.  Distinguished architects and mill engineers were used by the Holts to help them build the best mills and also the finest houses.  A fine web page describes the work of William Carter Bain.  Scroll down to paragraph six to read about the expansion at Oneida and the construction of Holt’s home shown above.This same post card view appears on the web page.

Sources: Post cards and News & Observer.  Laurie Smith corrected my information on the home.