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History

Lincoln Mills’ historical importance is invigorating and inspiring, spanning and exemplifying as no other buildings in the city the transition of Huntsville from a ubiquitous cotton mill town to the “Rocket City.”

In December of 1900, Madison Spinning Company laid the foundation for a mill on the west side of the railroad tracks across from Dallas Manufacturing. This operation became insolvent and ceased operation in 1906, and the property reopened in 1908 as Abingdon Mill. In 1918, it was purchased out of bankruptcy by William Lincoln Barrell of Lowell, MA, and was known from that time until 1955 as Lincoln Mills of Alabama.

 

After the purchase, Lincoln Mills underwent a tremendous building program, with Mill #3 being built in 1927 and the Finishing Plant (Dye House) being built in 1929-1930. The mill complex grew to a substantial size, 800,000 square feet, and was the largest of the seven major Huntsville cotton mills.

 

After a series of strikes, the property ceased operation as cotton textile mills in 1955, closing its 54-year history in that capacity.

 

The four mills, and their accessory buildings such as the Well House, Chemical Vault and the Dye House, did not sit empty for long. In February 1957, Huntsville Industrial Associates, an alliance of 35 local business and government leaders led by Carl T. Jones, purchased the property, renamed it the “Huntsville Industrial Center,” and immediately saw positive returns on their investment when Brown Engineering, a Huntsville firm expanding through government contracts, leased the former Mill #3. Milton Cummings was president of Brown Engineering, and had grown up in the Lincoln Mill Village. In July 1958, Chrysler, which had won the contract to construct the Army’s Jupiter rocket, decided to locate in the Industrial Center as well, occupying the former Mill #2.

 

Additional contractors serving the space and military industrial complex located in the revived and repurposed Huntsville Industrial Center, which became locally known as the “HIC” building. Much work occurred at the H.I.C. that was instrumental in helping put men on the Moon. Over time, however, these companies, including NASA, relocated either to Redstone Arsenal or the new Research Park that was developed on Huntsville’s western edge in the cotton fields that formerly supplied cotton to Lincoln Mills. As these companies left, their space was either abandoned, or rented as storage, small office and light industrial.

 

The largest fire in Huntsville’s history destroyed much of the complex in February, 1980. However, Mill #3 and the Dye House, the last of the complex to be built and conceived and built as “fire proof”, fulfilled their design intent and survived the fire. The Well House and Chemical Vault were on the southernmost side of the site, and these, along with the Lincoln Mills Headquarters Office, survived as well. After the fire, upon realizing how difficult and expensive it would be to demolish the remaining structures due to their heavy concrete construction, these remaining buildings were sold to a tenant, Robin Ebaugh, who had an operation in one of the mill buildings that had burned. The family partnership led by Robin Ebaugh owned the property for the next quarter-of-a-century (1982-2007.) Robin single-handedly marketed, managed, and maintained the property. Some of the work that he performed largely by himself was border-line Herculean. For instance, in an effort to conserve energy, coupled with a lack of funds to restore the large number of rolled-steel and glass windows, Robin fabricated and installed sheet metal coverings on each opening, often laboring in the evening by floodlight.

 

Lincoln Mills was sold by the Ebaughs in 2007 to a new family partnership, led by Jim Byrne. Better-suited owners would be hard to find. Jim has stated that “these buildings deserve to be restored.” And, indeed, they do. 

 

We invite you to join us as a visitor or as a neighbor at Lincoln Mills. The restoration will be in an authentic setting, envisioned to feature:

 

  • Lincoln Mills, Huntsville Industrial Center & Dr. Pepper Museums
  • Greengate School
  • Organic farming and food processing
  • Local flavor restaurants
  • An independent movie theater
  • An event facility
  • A Sustainability Center focused on techniques and technologies that will lead us to live more lightly on the land
  • Loft homes, offices and galleries
  • And a guaranteed interesting mix of business operators and loft dwellers.
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Tuesday
Aug242010

The Fox and the 'possum

DateTuesday, August 24, 2010 at 3:23PM

 

While driving Bankhead Parkway over the past two years at all times of the day and night, it was not uncommon to catch sight of a particular fox. As I descended Monte Sano early Wednesday morning, my friend the fox was lying in the middle of the sidewalk.  I circled back to observe him, and was able to pull up next to him without him disappearing into the woods as was his normal behavior. It did not outwardly appear that he had been hit by a car; it seemed to me that he might be in the last hours of life, dying of natural causes.  His coat had lost its sheen, and his eyes were glassy, not alert and blinking.  

I must confess that I was tempted for a few moments to intervene and put the fox out of his misery, both for his sake and, perhaps, for the possible sake of a walker, runner or biker that came upon him unexpectedly.  Even though he did not have the proverbial foaming mouth of rabies, I decided ultimately not to get out of the car and interfere any further, choosing to let nature take its course

As I jogged Franklin Street in Twickenham moments later, I reflected on a similar scene that went horribly wrong in Mountain Brook, Alabama, in 1987. 

At dusk one evening, while en route to a business meeting, I passed an opossum that had been hit by a vehicle, if one were to take the bloody bubbles coming from its labored nasal breathing as a strong indication. My heart went out to this oftentimes reviled ancient marsupial, and I continued on my way.  

When I retraced my path three hours later, I was shocked to see that the traffic victim was still alive, and I made a decision to end his misery, initially thinking I would use my VW Jetta as the euthanizing tool.  This strategy plagued me as dishonorable almost as soon as I formulated it, so I parked the car, got out, and picked up a rock that fit comfortably in my right hand.

Thinking that I'd be able to dispatch the opossum with one blow, I delivered the blow with force. However, rather than expire quickly and quietly, the opossum exploded back to life.  

I never imagined how stoutly built an opossum is, particularly the density of its skull.  As I was screaming like a woman while bludgeoning a shrieking opossum with a cave-man hand tool, I caught the eye of a Mercedes-driving Mountain Brook mother as she passed the scene. The horrified look in her eye told the tale.  What had started as an honest attempt to do good, ended with me blood-splattered, sweating and heaving like I had run a 440-yard dash, with the dashed-to-death little opossum next to me.  Once the deed was started, however, there was no turning back - it had to be finished.

Similarly, we can't go backwards, or stop, redeveloping Lincoln Mills when faced with daunting challenges, such as investment funds slowing to a trickle.  We must finish the job.

Thankfully, we're bringing something back to life, not killing it or allowing it to remain dead.  Just as the mercy killing of the opossum was the right thing to do, so, too, is revitalizing Lincoln Mills, and we intend to see it through to its dirty, sweaty, bloody rebirth.

 

 

AuthorWayne | CommentPost a Comment |
Saturday
Aug212010

WASPs

DateSaturday, August 21, 2010 at 6:55AM
I really hate to kill anything.  In this instance, there was no way around a very large wasp nest directly over the door that provided access to this particular piece of underutilized real estate (the revitalization of which is a passion of mine.)  This "perfect" nest location from the wasps' perspective proved in actuality to be a death sentence.

Where one once knocked the nest down with a shovel, and then ran for one's life, or played Medieval Man with a flaming shop rag on a broom-stick-turned-torch, industrialization has provided a tall, sleek can that is simply amazing; it projects and covers the nest, miraculously, with a white coating the consistency of homemade whipped cream.  The wasps don't know what hit them, and they don't stand a chance. 

When I first arrived in Huntsville, WASPs (White Anglo- Saxon Protestants) in Suburbia had become the norm, displacing and swamping the numbers of former textile mill workers, downtown dwellers, and farmers.

The Meridian Street corridor is becoming the antithesis of Suburbia. It will sport what many places are trying desperately to instill and install: a pedestrian/bicycle scale of life, featuring access to mass transit (fledgling though it is), an organic market, affordable, eclectic housing, luxury lofts, viable Mom-and Pop-Shops by the dozens, green-way trails, relocalized urban agriculture, and close proximity and easy access to a unique downtown, marvelous Monte Sano, universities, and the still relatively abundant Research Park and Redstone Arsenal jobs.

A real neighborhood filled with real neighbors, including some WASPs and wasps.

AuthorWayne | CommentPost a Comment |
Friday
Aug202010

Really Fresh Eggs

DateFriday, August 20, 2010 at 7:44AM


The city's dog catcher lumbered in his truck onto our grounds yesterday, and I, being outside at the moment, walked over and intercepted him.

He said:  "You were right.  Y'all've been grandfathered.  I was told not to bother y'all or y'all's animals.  I confirmed it with three higher-ups, including the city attorney."

He continued, without prompting:  "And I'm right happy about it.  What y'all'er doing here is great for the city.  And I really like your chicken coop.  They seem real happy.”

A small victory in a thirsty land.

 

AuthorWayne | Comment2 Comments |
Tuesday
Aug102010

From PT Cruiser to PT Loser

DateTuesday, August 10, 2010 at 10:35AM

I remember the dismay that settled on me as I realized that the southside of Atlanta was worlds away from the northside, that the easy success that we had found in Marietta with suburban lofts was not going to be repeated in Hampton. 

Enamoured with the soon-to-be-released retro PT Cruiser, I took a chance and put an advance payment on one of the first two sold in the metro Atlanta market.   It served as a unique Open House billboard, and brought curiosity seekers by the truck loads.  I was tempted to offer it as a raffle for the first 5 loft buyers, however, I fell in love with it and found the thought of parting with it too great.

It's refreshing to not have to rely on gimmicks (which really never work any way) to bring in traffic at Lincoln Mills.  To our gratitude, demand for our loft offices, businesses and homes is far outstripping supply.

As time moved on, as PT Cruisers became prevalent, and as my young children grew into teenagers, the cool little red PT Cruiser that once evoked squeals of delight evolved into Dad's PT Loser.  

I must confess that I still love it for a number of reasons, including the surprising head room, the fact that the interior cools within seconds, and, perhaps most importantly, that it is owned free and clear.

AuthorWayne | Comment2 Comments |
Friday
Aug062010

Guaranteed Interesting Neighbors

DateFriday, August 6, 2010 at 6:37PM

 

I am mildly surprised at the diversity of tenants that are ensconced, and are arriving daily, at Lincoln Mills.  As I entered the lobby yesterday, the most recent YouTube viral superstar, Antoine Dodson, was parked at the front door, awaiting one of our enterprising tenants who had ventured forth and secured him as a client.

Antoine found his 15 minutes of fame with this classic local news story:


 

And his cadence led to an impressive number of hits for this hit:

 

 


AuthorWayne | Comment1 Comment |
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