Enterprise Mill facts for kids
The Enterprise Mill is a historic building complex in Augusta, Georgia. It sits right next to the famous Augusta Canal. Today, it has both homes (called lofts) and offices. You can find it at the corner of Greene Street and 15th Street.
A Historic Building's New Life
The Enterprise Mill is a very important landmark in Augusta. In 1983, the company that owned it, Graniteville Company, closed the mill. For about 10 years, in the mid-1980s, the city thought about tearing the old building down.
But then, city leaders decided to give the building a new purpose. A big renovation project started in 1995. This was part of a larger plan to make downtown Augusta better. The building was empty for three more years. Then, in 1998, developers turned it into modern offices and homes. The Enterprise Mill is a great example of how old buildings can be saved and used again. This helps improve areas that might have been rundown.
The Story of Enterprise Mill
The Enterprise Mill was first built by James L. Coleman. Construction began in 1845, and the building opened in 1848. It started as a flour mill, which ground grain into flour.
Originally, Coleman wanted to build the mill on his own land. But the city council of Augusta decided to help. They gave money to build a canal. This canal would provide power for the mill. This was the beginning of the famous Augusta Canal.
Between 1872 and 1875, the Augusta Canal was made even bigger. This brought many industrialists (people who build and run factories) to the area. They wanted to build their businesses along the canal.
Much of the first mill was built with grey granite bricks. You can still see some of this original part today. However, most of the Enterprise Mill you see now, made of red brick, was built in 1877. Like other big mills in Augusta, it was built right on the Augusta Canal.
In 1923, the Graniteville Company bought the mill. They later added a large red sign with their company name on top of the building. This sign is still there today. It glows bright red at night and is easy to spot.
For most of its history, the mill was used for different types of manufacturing. But in 1983, the mill stopped working and closed its doors. For many years, people thought the building would be torn down. But in the mid-1990s, the Enterprise Mill got a huge makeover. It was changed into apartments, shops, and office spaces.
Today, the Enterprise Mill shows how downtown Augusta has been brought back to life since the 1990s.
