Machinery From First Factory in Athens
Athens, Henderson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Established 1882 (at site 1.5 mi. NE) by local planter H. M. Morrison, to make building brick. Total original machinery consisted of this press and plunger. Press was hand-operated. A mule-drawn swivel ran the plunger, mixing clay dug at the plant site. C. H. Coleman bought into firm in 1891; after Morrison's death in 1899 he became sole owner. Harbison-Walker Refractories Company bought business in 1940; continued making Coleman brick and enriching economy until closing in 1968. These machines are a permanent loan to city of Athens from Harbison-Walker.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1882 local planter H. M. Morrison started Athens's first factory to make building brick, equipped with nothing more than this hand-operated press and a mule-drawn plunger that mixed clay dug on site. C. H. Coleman bought into the firm in 1891 and became sole owner after Morrison's death, and the plant kept turning out "Coleman brick" for decades. Harbison-Walker Refractories acquired the business in 1940 and ran it until 1968.
Why it matters
The simple press marks the humble, animal-powered beginnings of Texas industry, showing how local manufacturing grew from a one-machine operation.
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Related people
- · H. M. Morrison
- · C. H. Coleman
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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