Derry in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana — The American South (West South Central)
Industry vs Manpower
Forced to remove cotton seeds by hand, each enslaved worker could pick seeds from only one pound of cotton per day. The hand-cranked cotton gin (short for engine), patented by Ell Whitney in 1794, revolutionized the industry by removing seeds from fifty pounds in a day. The gin made cotton so profitable that planters needed more laborers to plant and harvest cotton to meet demand.
The Gin Barn demonstrates changing technology. Following the Civil War, ginning innovations included using steam power instead of manpower. In 1876 Mathew Hertzog writes to Ambrose LeComte encouraging the obtaining of a steam engine.
The 1883 inventory of Magnolia listed an Eclipse gin stand and condenser, powered by a Chapley steam engine. The Munger System Gin you see today was installed in the 1890s. The boll weevil, low cotton prices, and loss of labor made the 20th century tough for cotton farmers. Following a 1939 tornado that destroyed the Gin Barn engine house, an arrangement was made to gin Magnolia cotton at nearby Cohen Plantation.
While the cotton gin's basic purpose hasn't changed, the technology continues to advance. Modern gins, controlled by electronic systems, can produce fifty-five 500-pound bales an hour.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce.
Location. 31° 32.858′ N, 92° 56.462′ W. Marker is in Derry, Louisiana, in Natchitoches Parish. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1111 LA-119, Cloutierville LA 71416, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Battle of Cloutierville (a few steps from this marker); The Cost of Cotton (within shouting distance of this marker); A River Runs Through It (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Gardens and Porches (about 500 feet away); Plantation Landscape (about 500 feet away); Escaped! Freedom Seekers in 1863 (about 600 feet away); Escaped! Freedom Seekers in 1804 (about 600 feet away); Unearthing The Past (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Derry.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 8, 2023, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 41 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 8, 2023, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana.