South Nashville in Davidson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
May Hosiery Mills
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, March 29, 2020
1. May Hosiery Mills Marker
Front side
In 1897, Jacob May and his family moved to Nashville and opened the Rock City Hosiery Mill. May obtained a contract to use convict labor for his mill, located inside the state penitentiary on Church Street. In 1908, May incorporated the company under a new name - May Hosiery Mills - and opened a new location next to the Louisville & Nashville railroad terminal on Brown St. in South Nashville. Jacob ran the mill with the help of his sons, Mortimer and Dan, until his death in 1946.
In the early 20th century, the mill was among the largest employers in Nashville. It employed many Jewish refugees the May family helped flee Nazi Germany in the 1930s. For much of the mill's 88 years, its hundreds of employees, mostly women, manufactured a million socks a week. The factory supplied major department stores nationwide and made the socks worn by the NASA Apollo 11 crew. The mill ceased operations in 1985 and has since served as space for artists and businesses.
Erected 2019 by The Historical Commission of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County. (Marker Number 188.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers
this page online
Location. 36° 8.619′ N, 86° 46.161′ W. Marker is in Nashville, Tennessee, in Davidson County. It is in South Nashville. Marker is on Chestnut Street just east of Martin Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 431 Chestnut St, Nashville TN 37203, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. United Record Pressing (within shouting distance of this marker); Merritt House (approx. 0.2 miles away); From Burying Ground to Cemetery (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Civil War and Its Aftermath (approx. 0.2 miles away); A History of Restoration (approx. ¼ mile away); The Free and the Unfree (approx. ¼ mile away); First Steam Locomotive (approx. ¼ mile away); John E. Hagey (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Nashville.
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, March 29, 2020
2. May Hosiery Mills Marker
Reverse side
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, March 29, 2020
3. May Hosiery Mills Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 3, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 861 times since then and 129 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 3, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
