The History of the Building
Located on Main Street next door to St.Mark's Lutheran
Church, the business began in 1883 when China Grove was a center for
cotton and chicken farming. A
molasses mill was originally built,
soon followed by a grist mill, a sawmill, and a cotton gin. In 1894, the
business was incorporated, and in 1903, the three story brick building that now stands proudly
on North Main Street was constructed. The building was designed by Corriher and Lipe,
Millrights.
The main walls of the structure are 22 inches thick. Bricks were made locally from Grant's Creek. Twice the amount of mortar was used to construct the building than would be used if it were to be built today.
Around 1945, the small, stand-alone, brick office was built in front of the mill. Whit Cooper, who was president at the time had asthma and the grain dust prevented him from working inside the mill.
A fire in 1974 destroyed the rear wooden section of the building which had been added to the original structure.
The fire, started by a vagrant
smoking a cigarette behind the mill, destroyed 33,100 bushels of grain
that were being stored. In 1980 a smaller fire caused damage to doors,
windows and supplies. However, no major damage was done to the mill
equipment or the original structure from either fire.
The China Grove Roller Mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior on December 29, 1993.
In January 2005 renovation work began to improve the back section of the building. A heating and air conditioning system was added along with an office/souvenir shop and restrooms. A conference room with a catering kitchen was also added. This room is available for use by the community for seminars, parties, civic meetings, parties and receptions. No changes were made to the original structure except to replace the roof.
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