The Mills at Weldon

The Mills at Weldon. An Early Industrial Park. , The Weldon terminus of the Roanoke Navigation Canal was the site of the first industrial complex in Halifax County. Located between the boat basin and the river, the site utilized the canal’s constant and regulated flow to power a variety of businesses. Prior to the American Civil War, the area behind the old power plant had a sawmill, two grist mills, and an iron foundry. By the 1880’s these were replaced by two larger grist mills. Also added was the first recorded striped bass hatchery in the United States. , , In 1890, the Roanoke Navigation and Water Power Company began building the three story Weldon Corn Mill and a large 50,000 bushel grain storage facility. The mill was mechanically powered by a turbine on the eastern side of the building, and historians believe it also held the first hydro-electric power generator in the state of North Carolina. Profitable electric production led the company to build a dedicated power plant located behind the main mill in 1900. , , The factory complex was purchased by the Roanoke River Development Company soon after the turn of the twentieth century. The new investors added a large lumber planning mill and a seed oil mill, but loss of guaranteed water rights in 1912 and the advent of the Great Depression ultimately led to the demise of the complex. , , In 1938, the Works Project Administration (WPA) removed all of the out buildings , converted the corn mill into a community center, and modified the basement of the grain elevator into a public swimming pool. The community center served as a focal point for Weldon social activities for over 30 years. Townspeople still speak of the many dances and parties held in the mill building and their summers spent swimming in the pool. The town of Weldon closed the facility in the late 1960’s and the buildings began a slow process of decay. In 2004, a local developer purchased the property and began to preserve these historical landmarks. , (caption) , The Weldon Mill site around 1920. The large field to the upper right is now River falls Park.