Tallassee Mills
Tallassee Mills is a textile mill in Tallassee, Alabama, built in 1844 at the falls of the Tallapoosa River. The factory features brick buildings in industrial style with large windows and spacious rooms that once contained machinery for spinning and weaving cloth.
The mills were founded in 1844 and are considered the oldest continuously operating textile mills in the United States before closing in 2005. During the Civil War, the site produced weapons for the Confederacy, and in later decades the factory employed thousands of workers, including children, until laws banned child labor under age 12 in 1909.
The mills formed the center of community life in Tallassee for generations. Working families built their lives around this site, and the factory provided steady employment and social connections that shaped how people lived and worked together.
The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and can be explored on foot to see old stone walls and large windows that reflect past working conditions. Visitors should know that the area is quiet and nature has grown around the old buildings.
The mill holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating textile mill in the United States, running nearly non-stop for about 160 years even during the Great Depression with reduced schedules. During World War II it shifted production to military supplies like tents and ropes, showing how the factory adapted to changing needs.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
