Railroad Heritage

Railroad Heritage. King Cotton. In the years between the Civil War and 1920, cotton was the principal crop in the countryside surrounding Athens. Virtually every available acre was dedicated to its' production., In 1910, the Athens Banner newspaper declared that Athens was one of the largest cotton markets in the world, leading all Georgia's cities in wagon cotton receipts. World War I brought additional prosperity as prices soared. The end of the war caused prices to plummet and the ravages of the boll weevil brought a virtual end to the city's thriving cotton business., (captions) , (above): Circa 1910 view of Broad St. showing delivery wagons and bales of cotton lining the street. The front of the building in the background once housed J.S. King and Co. Wholesale Grocers, and later Farmers Hardware. The back of the building was a cotton warehouse. In the late 1900s the building was restored for residential living. (inset): Early 1900s souvenir sewing kit container which boasts, "Athens, GA - Land of Cotton" (container was originally sold by E.W. Woolworth). Postcard and container courtesy of Ron Evans., (above): Early 1900 trademark for Hodgson Cotton Co., an Athens manufacturer of cotton fertilizers. (Left): Early 1900 advertising tin for "guano" by the Empire State Chemical Co., Athens, GA. Guano is manure used in fertilizer for growing cotton crops. The tin promises "bigger crops fewer acres." Because of the one-crop cotton economy, the land lost its fertility, and crops required larger and larger amounts of commercial fertilizer. While many small farmers did not prosper, the cotton factories, fertilizer manufacturers and farm implement suppliers in Athens reaped a substantial profit., Early 1900s Views of Athens; Cotton Industry , In 1920, cotton-related industries in Athens included twelve cotton manufacturing plants, a cottontail refinery, two oil mills, a sulfuric acid plant, and three fertilizer plants. All these companies depended on the railroad for shipping their products to other parts of the country. Photos courtesy of Hargrett Rare book and Manuscript Library, UGA Libraries.