“C” is for Columbia Mills

“C” is for Columbia Mills. The first textile mill in the world to be powered exclusively by electricity, the Columbia Mills Company was chartered in 1893 with an initial capitalization of $700,000. Work on the mill began in April 1893 and operations officially commenced in April 1894. The success of the Columbia plant revolutionized textile mills by opening the electric era. The new mill specialized in duck, a durable plain weave cloth widely used for belting, awnings, and tents, and sail cloth, a heavy duck made to withstand the elements in all kinds of weather. Mount-Vernon Woodbury Cotton Duck Company acquired Columbia mills in 1899. Production continued until 1981, when operations were relocated to a smaller plant. The company donated the old building of the Columbia Mills to the state which transformed it into the South Carolina State Museum.