Historic Lincoln Mills

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.