Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key:	WK-26
Corporate Name:	Cole's Mill
Local Name:	Cole's Mill
Owner Name:	Cole's Mill
Location:	Old Carolina on the Trinity River
County:	Walker
Years in Operation:	32 years
Start Year:	1839
End Year:	1870
Decades:	1830-1839,1840-1849,1850-1859,1860-1869,1870-1879
Period of Operation:	About 1839 to 1870
Town:	Old Carolina
Company Town:	2
Peak Town Size:	Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill:	Lumber, cotton, cornmeal Sawmill Pine Sawmill Hardwood Sawmill Cypress Sawmill Planer Planer Only Shingle Paper Plywood Cotton Grist Unknown Other
Power Source:	Water Horse Mule Oxen Water Water Overshot Water Turbine Diesel Unknown Pit Steam Steam Circular Steam Band Gas Electricity Other
Maximum Capacity:
Capacity Comments:	Unknown
Produced:	Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board Treated Other
Equipment:	Sawmill, gin, and grist mill
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads:	None
Historicial Development:	Old Carolina was a freshwater port on the Trinity River, located at the mouth of Carolina Creek halfway between Duncan's Crossing and Cincinnati. Adolphus Sterne, a resident of Nacogdoches, noted in his diary on April 21, 1839, that a sawmill was being built at the new community of Carolina. “Lumber sell at $40 pr M” probably means that cut lumber was selling at $40 per thousand rough feet. Huntsville and Walker County notes that “old” Carolina, located at the mouth of Carolina Creek on the Trinity River, was the location of the water-powered Cole's Mill. It was probably a multi-function facility: ginning cotton, sawing lumber, and grinding corn. The coming of the International & Great Northern through Riverside resulted in Old Carolina becoming a ghost town.
Research Date:	MCJ 03-30-96
Prepared By:	M Johnson