Cotton Made Greenville Great

Cotton Made Greenville Great. . In its early days, Greenville was an agricultural town. The arrival of rail service in 1880 brought markets closer, making cotton an economically viable crop. The economy of Greenville (and most of northeast Texas) depended on the unpredictable cotton harvest. A good crop meant a comfortable living for everyone involved in cotton production., Farmers borrowed against their crop all year to pay for seed, tools, and household goods, paying off their debts when the fall harvest brought in the only cash income they might see all year. Cotton growers had to contend with uncertain cotton prices, too much or too little rain, and the ever-present boll weevil. Farmers often had large families to provide many hands for planting, hoeing and picking cotton. Local schools suspended fall classes so children could help harvest the crop. The producer of the season's first cotton bale was always rewarded with a cash prize from local merchants., Our rich black soil produced premium cotton. Spinning mills in England recognized the quality of the local fiber and paid top prices for cotton ginned and pressed in Greenville. Regional cotton farmers hauled their bales the extra distance to secure a Greenville Cotton Compress label for their crop. The huge steam presses reduced a 6-foot bale to about 18 inches, allowing more bales to be shipped at one time. The compress still holds a world record for pressing 2073 bales of cotton in a single 10-hour work day on September 30, 1912.