River Overview

River Overview. Mill Location. Mills were located at shoals in the river where water dropped quickly, providing power for manufacturing. Clarke County had 19 mills, and many were located on the Athens riverfront., A dam constructed in the 1830s on the rocky shoals downstream. On the east side was the Athens Flour Mill, situated on the site of an od grist.saw mill. Across the river, the Athens Manufacturing Co. built the Athens Factory, which spun and wove cotton and wool textiles. Part of this mills still standing today. Across Oconee Street and along the river was a hosiery mill with a pottery behind it. The mill village to your right was called Potterytown., The stone and brick building you see to your left was constructed in 1862 by Cook and Brother Armory. using the dam and raceway from an existing grist/saw mill for waterpower the brothers manufactured guns for the Confederacy. After the Civil War the building became the Check Factory, part of the Athens Manufacturing Company., (captions) , Above: 19th century photo of the Athens Factory., Right: 1920 detail of Cook and Brother Armory. , Photo courtesy Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, UGA Libraries, This drawing was made in an aerial ballonn in 1909. It shows the mills along the river, the first center of manufacturinhg in Athens. , Birds Eye View of Athens, Georgia, 1909. Published by Fowler and Downs. Special Collections, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, UGA Libraries