Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Lowe Mill
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General Shoe Company Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, May 9, 2026
1. Lowe Mill Marker
Arthur H. Lowe of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, opened Lowe Manufacturing Company in Huntsville in 1901. Shortly after its opening, Eastern Manufacturing Company constructed a weaving mill on the adjacent property. The companies combined in 1907 to form Lowe Manufacturing, Inc. A mill village soon developed to accommodate workers' housing needs. After facing bankruptcy and several changes of ownership during the Great Depression, textile manufacturing at Lowe Mill came to an end in 1937. Thereafter, the mill was used for several years as a warehouse for cotton.
Reverse Side
In 1945, the Lowe Mill buildings were purchased by General Shoe Company (later renamed Genesco, Inc.) At its height, over 1,000 workers were employed at the facility, producing a variety of shoes, including boots worn by American soldiers during the Vietnam War. After production ceased in 1978, the factory sat unused until its purchase by James R. Hudson, Jr. in 2001. Years of renovation gave this historic century-old mill new life as an innovative artist community, renamed Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment. Housing over 150 studios
this page online
Erected 2023 by Huntsville - Madison County Historical Society and Alabama Historical Association.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1945.
Location. 34° 42.943′ N, 86° 35.883′ W. Marker is in Huntsville, Alabama, in Madison County. It is at the intersection of Seminole Drive Southwest and 9th Ave SW, on the right when traveling north on Seminole Drive Southwest. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2211 Seminole Dr SW, Huntsville AL 35805, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Alabama. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, 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 Confederate
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, May 9, 2026
2. Lowe Mill / General Shoe Company Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment Marker - Reverse Side
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: West Huntsville Baptist Church (approx. 0.6 miles away); Original Site of the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) (approx. 0.6 miles away); S.R. Butler High School / Stone Middle School (approx. 0.6 miles away); First Baptist Church Huntsville, Alabama (approx. 0.7 miles away); William Hooper Councill High School Site (approx. 0.7 miles away); Glenwood Cemetery (approx. 0.7 miles away); C.B. "Bill" Miller Bridge (approx. 0.7 miles away); Huntsville's First Black Women Voters (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Huntsville.
More about this marker. Marker was dedicated December 13, 2025.
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, May 9, 2026
3. Lowe Mill / General Shoe Company Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on May 11, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 9, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. This page has been viewed 22 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 9, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
