Washington Cotton Factory - Washington Co. Utah

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Washington Cotton Factory
Mill No: Ut_27_01

State -	Utah
County -	Washington Co.
Township -	Washington Borough
Year -	1865-1867
Water Source -	Machine Creek, name changed to Mill Creek.

Pictures by: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 - The 45'X 100' stone cotton mill was built from 1865-1868, this being a one story affair. The area had been explored in 1852 by a party of Mormen men, who realized that the area would sustain crops of cotton, flax, and sugar cane among other southeastern U. S. crops.

Picture: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 The 45'X 100' stone cotton mill was built from 1865-1868, this being a one story affair. The area had been explored in 1852 by a party of Mormen men, who realized that the area would sustain crops of cotton, flax, and sugar cane among other southeastern U. S. crops.

Pictures by: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 - In 1857, 38 families originally from the southeastern states were moved down to the Wasdhington/St. George area from the Salt Lake City area to populate the locality and to work in the proposed new cotton mill. The year 1865 saw the beginning of construction, with large timbers being carted by wagons from Cedar Mountain by two men and three stone masons setting the rock.

Picture: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 In 1857, 38 families originally from the southeastern states were moved down to the Wasdhington/St. George area from the Salt Lake City area to populate the locality and to work in the proposed new cotton mill. The year 1865 saw the beginning of construction, with large timbers being carted by wagons from Cedar Mountain by two men and three stone masons setting the rock.

Pictures by: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 - The mill began operations in 1868. Business was good with 1100 pounds of cloth shipped to California at $1.25/ib. while 1600 lbs were kept behind as stock. Some of the machinery to run the mill came from Brigham Young's mill near Salt Lake City in Parley Canyon. The mill started with six men in charge of operations.

Picture: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 The mill began operations in 1868. Business was good with 1100 pounds of cloth shipped to California at $1.25/ib. while 1600 lbs were kept behind as stock. Some of the machinery to run the mill came from Brigham Young's mill near Salt Lake City in Parley Canyon. The mill started with six men in charge of operations.

Pictures by: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 - The necessity for expansion was apparent almost from the first, and in 1870, the 2nd & 3rd floors were added. By the next year, new machinery enabled the mill to produce woolen product also. It sold this same year to the Rio Virgin Manufacturing Co. The name resulted from the fact that Mill Creek(Machine Creek) flows into the Virgin River a short way downstream from the mill.

Picture: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 The necessity for expansion was apparent almost from the first, and in 1870, the 2nd & 3rd floors were added. By the next year, new machinery enabled the mill to produce woolen product also. It sold this same year to the Rio Virgin Manufacturing Co. The name resulted from the fact that Mill Creek(Machine Creek) flows into the Virgin River a short way downstream from the mill.

Pictures by: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 - By 1985, the mill had stood vacant for 75 years, when Franklin Steheli, the last operator, closed the cotton mill in 1910.

Picture: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 By 1985, the mill had stood vacant for 75 years, when Franklin Steheli, the last operator, closed the cotton mill in 1910.

Pictures by: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 - The Civilian Conservation Corps used the factory grounds for there campground in the 1930's, the building a little northeast of the cotton mill.

Picture: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 The Civilian Conservation Corps used the factory grounds for there campground in the 1930's, the building a little northeast of the cotton mill.

Pictures by: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 - Norma Cannizzaro saved the mill from almost sure demolition, when she bought the Washington Bank's interest in the property in 1985. She moved from California and began to renovate as time and money permitted. She opened part of it up as a community social hall and was instrumental in getting the structure placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Picture: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 Norma Cannizzaro saved the mill from almost sure demolition, when she bought the Washington Bank's interest in the property in 1985. She moved from California and began to renovate as time and money permitted. She opened part of it up as a community social hall and was instrumental in getting the structure placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Pictures by: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 - The next owners were the Hyrum Smith family. They renamed the mill the

Picture: Jim Miller 09/27/2006 The next owners were the Hyrum Smith family. They renamed the mill the "Rio Virgin Cotton Mill" and continued to allow social events to be held there. The current owner, Craig Keough, bought the mill in 1998 and converted the lower floor and much of the grounds to a nursery and landscaping business, of which he owns six others in the Utah, Nevada & Arizona area. The Old Washington Cotton Factory has now become the Star Nursery in Washington, Utah, hopefully another step to insure it preservation for the future.

Directions: Exit I-15 a few miles north of St. George onto Road 3050 E. Immediately turn left on Telegraph/W.State St., go about a mile. Turn right on either S 400 West St. or S 300 West St. to get to the mill.

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Psalm119:173 & 174 NKJV

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