"The Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill renovation has transformed Cabbagetown,"
Derek Aynsley, executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center.
Derek Aynsley, executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center.
A Rebirth
The Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill is located in Atlanta, Georgia near Cabbagetown. Jacob Elsas founded the mill in 1868 as a cloth and paper bag manufacturer. Over time the mill changed locations with the new addition of the Georgia Railroad line and then again when they outgrew their previous locations. During the early twentieth century, a mill village was established (The Fulton Bag and Cotton Mills.). Mill villages were comprised of mill workers and their families. The atmosphere was one where everybody knew everybody. The Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill continued to prosper as they collected mills from various states. Yet with all this prosperity the workers felt they were victims of labor unarrest and over the years they held strikes. After recovering from the strikes, they continued to flourish until World War Two II ended. Upon the ending of World War II, Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill were bought out by overseas companies and finally shut their doors in 1978 (The Fulton Bag and Cotton Mills).
Can you imagine having the main source of jobs in Atlanta and the major economic factor in Atlatna shut down, forever? The mill went through a period of abandonment and it wasn’t until 1997 when “Aderhold Properties redeveloped the historic Fulton Cotton Mill in Atlanta into a mixed-income community of 182 loft apartments” (The Fulton Bag and Cotton Mills). When considering the cost of preservation for the Fulton Mill, Louis Brown, the president of Aderhold Properties Inc., compared how much money would be involved in preservation and how much would be involved in new construction. With all the tax benefits that can be obtained and being eligible for an eight-year property tax freeze the choice to preserve was less expensive (Keenlyside). After the Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill was transformed it is now known at The Stacks: At Fulton Cotton Mill. The Stacks welcomes a variety of people, but the typical resident is between the ages of 25- 45 years old and holds at least a college degree and has disposable income (Keenlyside). Preservation has made the once neglected area thrive again. Cabbagetown has also reaped the benefits of it as well. The history of Atlanta is protected and is here to last.
Can you imagine having the main source of jobs in Atlanta and the major economic factor in Atlatna shut down, forever? The mill went through a period of abandonment and it wasn’t until 1997 when “Aderhold Properties redeveloped the historic Fulton Cotton Mill in Atlanta into a mixed-income community of 182 loft apartments” (The Fulton Bag and Cotton Mills). When considering the cost of preservation for the Fulton Mill, Louis Brown, the president of Aderhold Properties Inc., compared how much money would be involved in preservation and how much would be involved in new construction. With all the tax benefits that can be obtained and being eligible for an eight-year property tax freeze the choice to preserve was less expensive (Keenlyside). After the Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill was transformed it is now known at The Stacks: At Fulton Cotton Mill. The Stacks welcomes a variety of people, but the typical resident is between the ages of 25- 45 years old and holds at least a college degree and has disposable income (Keenlyside). Preservation has made the once neglected area thrive again. Cabbagetown has also reaped the benefits of it as well. The history of Atlanta is protected and is here to last.
