Abstract:
Cooleemee in Davie County was once a thriving mill town with many residents working in a large textile mill on the banks of the South Yadkin River. Though the mill closed in 1969, the town is unique among Southern mill towns because the mill building and about 330 original mill village houses still stand. Of the 960 residents, most are the old workers or their descendants. In 1989, the Cooleemee Historical Association began recording workers' memories of life in the mill and surrounding village. This led to an outpouring of photographs and other memorabilia that is now housed in the former general manager's two-story house.