Welcome to Dalton!
Our Textile Legacy
In 1985, Dalton, GA had no reason to believe that it would develop into a modern El Dorado, "The City of gold," or in our city's case, carpet. Dalton is infamous for its title of "Carpet Capital of the World".
The driving tour honors the remarkable history that can be seen all around us to this very day. Housewives, farmers, mechanics, teachers, and many others seized an opportunity and changed our history forever. Using their unique abilities, they invented machinery, sold products, and organized businesses. These businesses grew from hand tufting production to single needle methods to giant machines that are able to tuft hundreds of thousands of yards of carpet in the blink of an eye.
On this tour, you'll learn Dalton's very own "rags to riches" story that transformed the homes of America and ultimately, even the world. This is the story of a 15-year-old who began hand-tufting a bedspread in 1895, and developed into an industry that has annually produced over one billion square yards of carpet yearly since the beginning of 1990. The story of Dalton's carpet industry is not simply one of square yards produced, but it is also the story of the people who worked, dreamed, and created everything from companies, machines, and the carpet. This tour is an attempt to tell some of these stories and honor those who laid the "flooring"
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1985.
Location. 34° 46.184′ N, 84° 58.023′ W. Marker is in Dalton, Georgia, in Whitfield County. It is on South Depot Street just south of West Cuyler Street, on the right. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 305 Depot St, Dalton GA 30720, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Georgia’s Mountains. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Our Textile Legacy (a few steps from this marker); Carpet Technology (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Mechanization of the Bedspread Industry (about 700 feet away); Western and Atlantic Railroad Depot (approx. 0.2 miles away); Tristram Dalton (approx. 0.2 miles away); William C. Martin House (approx. Ό mile away); African-American Soldiers in Combat (approx. Ό mile away); Fort Hill (approx. Ό mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dalton.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Joseph E. Johnston Memorial (was about 700 feet away but has been permanently removed).
Credits. This page was last revised on May 18, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 18, 2021, by David Tibbs of Resaca, Georgia. This page has been viewed 386 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 13, 2021, by David Tibbs of Resaca, Georgia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
