Greenville Cotton Compress
Greenville, Hunt County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Once world's largest inland press. Set record for most bales pressed in 10-hour day (Sept. 30, 1912), when 2,073 bales were hand-trucked, pressed, and loaded in rail cars at rate of 3 a minute. Before invention of lifts and tractors all labor was done by skilled Negro workers, each man pushing a 500-pound bale and truck at a dead run, moving to relentless pace of work chants. W. B. Wise, an expert manager of labor, was superintendent; W.T. Williams, assistant; D. M. Love, engineer. This Blackland area cotton was then regarded most highly by spinners of England. (1971)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In the heart of the Texas Blackland cotton belt, the Greenville Cotton Compress once ranked as the world's largest inland press, squeezing loose bales into dense, shippable form for export. On September 30, 1912, its crews set a record of 2,073 bales in a ten-hour day—three a minute—hand-trucked and loaded by skilled Black laborers who moved 500-pound bales at a run to the rhythm of work chants. The cotton pressed here was prized by the spinning mills of England.
Why it matters
It captures both the industrial might of Texas cotton in the global market and the grueling, skilled labor of the Black workers whose muscle powered the Southern economy.
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Related people
- · W. B. Wise
Themes & tags
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