13. Eagle and Phenix Mills

13. Eagle and Phenix Mills

Owned by William Young, the Eagle Mill was built in 1851. Throughout the city, seventy percent of the mill workers were women and children as they had small and more dexterous hands, and they were cheaper to hire. During the Civil War, Columbus became among the top five Confederate producers of war materials. The Eagle Mill produced gray uniform tweed, cotton duck for tents, cotton for army shirts, and cotton jeans. After being burned by Union troops it was quickly rebuilt and renamed the Eagle and Phenix Mills. Celebrated as an impressive factory that produced a vast array of woolen and cotton items, the mill also saw tensions between workers and owners. In 1896 the mill weavers went on strike and formed the first local of the National Union of Textile Workers in the American South. In the post-Civil War period, African Americans were used as manual labor in the mill, but prior to the 1960s, they were not allowed to run mill machines. Twentieth century owners included Pillowtex and Fieldcrest. The mill closed in 2003.
Worsley, E. (Summer-1954), "Board of Regents of the University of the University System of Georgia", The Georgia Review, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 218-227.

Eagle & Phenix Mills, Front Street (1200-1300 Blocks), Columbus, Muscogee County, GA Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print.