Lincoln Mill and Mill Village Historic District

The Lincoln Mill and Mill Village Historic District is a historic district in Huntsville, Alabama. Opened in 1900, it quickly grew to be Huntsville's largest cotton mill in the first quarter of the 20th century. After closing in 1955, the mills were converted to office space that was used by the U.S. space program. Two of the older production buildings burned in 1980, but one main building and numerous houses built for workers remain. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.HistoryThe Lincoln Mill began in 1900 as an entirely locally-funded concern. One of the investors was Trevanian Dallas, founder of the adjcent Dallas Mill. Named the Madison Spinning Company, the original building was built on Oakwood Avenue. The mill required more capital to continue operating by 1903, and outside investors were brought in, including William Lincoln Barrell. Despite the extra cash, the mill closed in 1906. It reopened in 1908 under the name Abingdon Mills. Abingdon constructed a new mill building in 1915, and an addition to it in 1916. The mill was expanded again in 1918, with a two-story addition to the twisting mill, bringing capacity to 28,080 spindles and 476 looms. 47 houses and the village's first school were also built.Despite the extra capacity, Abingdon went bankrupt in 1918. Barrell bought the company at auction, and production resumed later that year under the name Lincoln Mill. The next decade saw vast expansion of the mill and village. The company began constructing 40 more duplexes and apartment buildings north of Oakwood Avenue, on a tight grid pattern of streets which became known as Lincoln Village. A new mill building, costing $2 million and containing 750,000 square feet (70,000 sq. m.), was built in 1923–24. A one-story dye house quickly followed, and the mill employed 1000 workers and operated 102,000 spindles. 600 additional houses and apartments were built to serve the expanded workforce. Another expansion in 1927 included more units for Mill No. 3 and 500 houses and apartments south of the mill. The expansion brought the operation to its highest capacity of 120,000 spindles, 1,200 looms, and 2,000 employees. In 1928, a mill store and community center were built, followed the next year by a larger school.