Greenville in Hunt County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Greenville Cotton Compress

Photographed By Mark Hilton, June 25, 2018

1. Greenville Cotton Compress Marker

Inscription. Once world's largest inland press. Set record for most bales pressed in 10-hour day (Sept. 30, 1912), when 2,073 bales were handtrucked, pressed, and loaded in rail cars at rate of 3 a minute.

Before invention of lifts and tractors all labor was done by skilled Negro workers, each man pushing a 500-pound bale and truck at a dead run, moving to relentless pace of work chants.

W. B. Wise, an expert manager of labor, was superintendent; W.T. Williams, assistant; D. M. Love, engineer. This blackland area cotton was then regarded most highly by spinners of England.

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The Greenville compress is now part of a chain operated by the Farmers and Merchants Compress and Warehouse Company, with headquarters in Dallas, the Greenville superintendent in 1971 is John H. Pearson.

Erected 1971 by State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 7796.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1971.

Location. 33° 8.379′ N, 96° 5.932′ W. Marker is in Greenville, Texas, in Hunt County. Marker is on Lee Street (Texas Route 302) 0.2 miles east of Houston Street, on the right

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when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1426 Lee Street, Greenville TX 75401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Site of Phillips Field/Majors Stadium (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lallie P. Carlisle (approx. 0.3 miles away); Benjamin D. Martin (approx. 0.3 miles away); Fred Douglass Elementary School (approx. 0.4 miles away); Mary Jim Morris (approx. half a mile away); The Seven Courthouses of Hunt County (approx. half a mile away); 1929 Hunt County Courthouse (approx. half a mile away); Hunt County (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Greenville.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, June 25, 2018

2. Greenville Cotton Compress Marker

View from marker east on Lee Street. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, June 25, 2018

3. View from marker east on Lee Street.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 5, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 375 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 5, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.