Chatham Manufacturing Company facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Predecessor | Chatham Manufacturing Company |
| Founded | 1877 in North Carolina |
| Founder | Alexander Chatham |
| Headquarters | , |
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Area served
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International |
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Key people
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Alexander Chatham |
| Products | Outdoor apparel; blankets |
| Owner | Alexander Chatham |
The Chatham Manufacturing Company is an American company that makes textiles. It was started in 1877. Over the years, they have made many things like car seats, jeans, and soft flannel fabrics. Their most famous product is the Chatham Blanket. At one point, they were the biggest blanket maker in the whole world!
Contents
History of Chatham Manufacturing
The story of Chatham Manufacturing began in 1858. A man named Alexander Chatham started working at the Gwyn Mill. This mill was built by Richard Gwyn along Elkin Creek in North Carolina. It was a grist mill, meaning it ground corn into flour. The mill used water power from the creek. Farmers from around the area would bring their corn there.
After the American Civil War, money was hard to find. But sheep were common, so wool became a popular way to trade things. The Gwyn Mill had to take wool as payment. They would then carry it 60 miles away to sell the raw wool. This wool was then sent by train to other factories.
From Grist Mill to Wool Mill
More and more wool was being traded. So, in the 1870s, the company bought a special machine. This machine was called a wool carding machine. It helped to prepare the wool fibers. It was put in the grist mill and used the same water wheel for power. This brought even more wool from the mountains nearby.
In 1877, Richard Gwyn and Alexander Chatham took over the mill. They added a textile mill to make fabric. They called their new business the "Elkin Valley Woolen Mill." In the beginning, only four people worked there. In 1878, Gwyn and Chatham went to Philadelphia. They hired a skilled machine worker named Gilvin T. Roth.
Moving and Growing
In 1890, the railroad finally reached Elkin. The North Carolina Railroad ran right next to the Yadkin River. Gwyn and Chatham quickly decided to move their factory closer to the train tracks. This was a smart move for shipping their products.
That same year, Thomas Gwyn sold his share of the company to Alexander Chatham. The company was then renamed the Chatham Manufacturing Company. The new factory didn't need water power anymore. Instead, it used steam engines to create electricity.
At first, the mill only made yarn. But in 1893, they started making fabrics too. This was the year they made their very first Chatham Blanket! In 1895, the company began making wool fabric for suits. They even brought a tailor from New York to make suits.
New Leadership and Challenges
In 1907, the Chatham Manufacturing Company changed its structure. They built another factory in Winston-Salem. Alexander's son, Hugh Gwyn Chatham, became the president. A famous businessman, R. J. Reynolds, became the vice president.
In 1916, a big flood hit Elkin. The Chatham Manufacturing Company was badly damaged. The flood was very tough for the mill. So, the company started building a new mill on higher ground, away from the floodwaters.
In 1929, Richard Thurmond Chatham took over the company from his father, Hugh Gwyn Chatham. In 1936, he led Chatham Manufacturing into making car seat fabrics. They made interiors for cars like Packard. In 1939, the company moved its Winston-Salem factory to Elkin. This brought all their operations to one place.
Richard Thurmond Chatham was also a naval officer. He commanded a ship called the USS Phoenix (CL-46) during World War II. While he was away at sea, the company made many blankets for the armed forces. They even won the Army/Navy Award of Excellence for their great work during the war.
Later, in 1955, Hugh G. Chatham II became president. He was the older son of Richard T. Chatham. Then, in 1970, Richard T. Chatham Jr. took over as president from his brother.
Chatham Blankets: A Famous Product
In 1893, Chatham made its very first blanket. The first twelve blankets were sewn by Mrs. R.L. Hubbard. Even though Chatham made many different fabrics, "Chatham Blankets" were the only product that had the company's name on them. These blankets became what the company was most known for.
In the early 1900s, the company mostly sold wool blankets. The Chatham Blanket became famous all over the United States. Wool blankets are special because they are soft, warm, and can naturally keep moisture away.
How Chatham Blankets Were Made
The process for making a Chatham blanket started with local wool from North Carolina.
- First, the raw wool was washed in water from the Yadkin River.
- Then, it was "carded" to make the fibers straight and even.
- The carded wool was spun into threads and then dyed different colors.
- Next, the wool threads were set up on a loom and woven into cloth.
- The cloth was then "napped" (made fuzzy) and washed again.
- Finally, it was cut to the right size and the edges were bound.
The finished blankets were warm in winter, breathable in summer, and could even clean themselves a bit!
Around 1910, Chatham was the biggest blanket maker in the Southern United States. By the 1940s and 1950s, they were the largest blanket manufacturer in the entire world! They made millions of blankets for all parts of the armed forces during both World War I and World War II. The company received the Army-Navy "E" Award for their excellent work making military blankets during wartime.
Automotive Upholstery
In the 1930s, Chatham Manufacturing started making fabrics for car interiors. This is called automotive upholstery. Companies like Studebaker, Packard, and Ford used Chatham's fabrics in their cars.
Chatham built a special plant in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, just for finishing these upholstery fabrics. But later, they moved it to Elkin to be next to their main factory. Chatham even helped design the inside of the 1947 Studebaker Starlight car. They also worked with a famous textile designer named Marianne Strengell on designs for car fabrics.
Chatham Blanketeers: The Baseball Team
Chatham Manufacturing also had its own semi-professional baseball team! They were called the Chatham Blanketeers. In 1937, they represented North Carolina at a big national baseball tournament in Wichita, Kansas. The team won the North Carolina semi-pro championship in 1948. In 1949, they even went to the National Baseball Congress World Series!
Changes in Ownership
In the late 1980s, Chatham Manufacturing had factories in Elkin, Eden, and Charlotte. About two-thirds of the company's sales came from car upholstery products. Most of the rest came from bedding, like blankets. Most of the company was still owned by the family of Alexander Chatham.
However, in 1988, a Danish textile company called Northern Feather, Ltd., bought Chatham Manufacturing for over $92 million. This meant that the Chatham family no longer owned the company after more than 110 years. But Northern Feather went bankrupt within four years.
In 1992, Chatham Manufacturing was sold again, this time to CMI Industries. Then, in 2000, a company called Interface, Inc., bought Chatham. It became part of the Interface Fabrics Group and focused on making upholstery for homes and businesses.
New Beginnings
Today, a new version of the classic Chatham blanket has been launched. It was started by Alex Chatham, who is the great-great-grandson of the original founder, Alexander Chatham.
Images for kids
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The USS Phoenix, a ship commanded by Richard Thurmond Chatham during World War II.
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