The Merrimack Mills "Then and Now"
John Hyatt, Fall 2024
This image was found in the “Southpaw Postcards” collection at the UAH ASCDI. It depicts the Merrimack Mills, a historic location in Madison County, Huntsville, AL. Built in 1900, the mills employed hundreds of people until 1989 and played a significant role in the development of early Huntsville industry, bringing jobs and building infrastructure. In 1992, the mills were eventually torn down, and the land was repurposed.
The mills included two large buildings functioning as cotton mills, along with an entire neighborhood and small town to house and care for its workers. They serve as a fantastic example of the effects of time, constantly evolving throughout their history. In 1898, the Merrimack Manufacturing Company began searching for land to construct a new cotton mill. They eventually chose Huntsville and completed construction in 1900. The mill was large upon completion, employing an estimated 500 to 750 people. Initially, only one cotton mill was built, with the surrounding village added over the next 37 years. The second mill was completed in 1904.
This village contained about 60 houses and a town store, which expanded over time. In 1916, a hospital was established to care for medical issues suffered as a result of the mill and other general ailments. A school opened in 1913 to educate the growing population, and an additional school was added the following year. More houses were also constructed.
Prior to 1920, the village lacked electricity, and the mill was powered by a coal boiler using steam from a nearby spring. As the mills grew, this changed. In 1920, the mill began to use electricity instead of steam power. Not long after, in 1922, the village also began to use electricity. In that same year, the village store was significantly expanded to meet higher demand and accommodate more customers. From this point on, it started to resemble a fully functioning town, with the construction of a gymnasium and a theater for entertainment. Sidewalks and sewers were also added.
After World War II, financial troubles eventually led to the sale of the mill to M. Lowenstein and Co. The new owners invested $1.7 million to increase the mill's efficiency and sold houses to employees. They connected the two originally separated mill buildings and added air conditioning, significantly increasing the number of employees to around 1,600.
In 1988, the mill was sold again and closed permanently a year later. Today, the land is divided between residential neighborhoods and sports fields/park grounds. It is remarkable how much the mills changed over such a relatively short period. Thankfully, the history of this location has been preserved by Huntsville locals so that its story can be told.
Bibliography
Uff Fisk, Sarah. 2008. “Published by the Huntsville-M Adison County Historical Society.” Review Winter-Spring 33 (1). https://huntsvillehistorycollection.org/hh/hhpics/hhr/pdf/Volume_33_1_Winter-Spring-08.pdf.
“Lewis Hine in Huntsville.” n.d. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://huntsvillehistorycollection.org/hh/hhpics/hhr/pdf/Volume_29_1_Fall-Winter-03.pdf.
Gibbons, Charlie. 2024. “The Merrimack Mills · UAH Archives, Special Collections, and Digital Initiatives.” Uah.edu. 2024. http://libarchstor2.uah.edu/digitalcollections/items/show/5160.
Hyatt, John. 2024. Merrimack Mills TodayPhotograph. Edited by John Hyatt. file:///C:/Users/johnc/Downloads/IMG_2433.jpg.
“N P S F O Rm 1 0 -9 0 0 -a (R E v . 8 /2 0 0 2 ) O M B N O . 1 0 2 4 -0 0 1 8.” n.d. Accessed October 13, 2024. https://huntsvillehistorycollection.org/hhc/docs/pdf/survey/Merrimack_Mill_Survey-2010.pdf?a=nreg.
Wikipedia Contributors. 2023. “Merrimack Mill Village Historic District.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. September 8, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrimack_Mill_Village_Historic_District.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Reagan Grimsley, the UAH Honors College, and UAH Archives, Special Collections, and Digital Initiatives.