Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1389434
F ounded at Fort Hawkins on the bank of the Ocmulgee River in 1809, Newtown has grown into the industrious modern city of Macon. Located centrally in the state and nestled among pine forests and fertile farmland, the city was destined to become a manufacturing and business hub. Industrious visionaries, like William Butler Johnston and other likeminded capitalists, contributed to the city with both civic actions and business interests. These industrialists not only shaped the city, but also supported the health and wellbeing of its residents. Johnston is known as a jeweler, banker and builder of the Johnston-Felton Hay House. However, less well known are his business interests in the textile, ice and utilities industries. Johnston moved to Macon in 1831 and opened a jewelry store in downtown where the Fickling building is today. During that time, he also invested in real estate and railroads. A er his marriage in 1851, he embarked with his new wife, Anne Tracy Johnston, on an extended honeymoon in Europe. A er returning, his primary interest was in constructing a palatial house on Georgia Avenue. Following the Civil War, Johnston was able to reinvest his time and interests in new ventures. His influence in the textile industry was fruitful and contributed to the socioeconomic development of Macon. In partnership with notable Macon businessmen John Gresham and Judge Thaddeus Holt, in 1849 Johnston founded a large textile mill, Macon Manufacturing Company, to manufacture cotton and wool on Oglethorpe Street. Johnston was not only a director and investor in the company, but he also sought opportunities that would benefit its employees and the community. In 1869, he founded Cotton States Life Insurance Co., which provided property and life insurance to the working class. In 1868, he purchased land for the construction of the Appleton Church Home for orphans and gave funds to alter and improve the structure of Christ Church, where he was a parishioner. Johnston was not a hands-off leader. He routinely visited his businesses, as evident in an 1877 photograph of his ice factory, where he's pictured bottom right. Johnston and his business partners set a precedent. If a business was to be successful, it should also benefit the community. A er the Civil War, the textiles industry in Macon grew at a rapid pace. Johnston's Macon Manufacturing Company was so profitable, the company was purchased by Bibb Manufacturing Company in 1878. Founded in 1876, Bibb Manufacturing opened "Mill One" in East Macon that produced towels, sheets, curtains, comforters and bedspreads. A er two successful years, the company acquired Macon Manufacturing on Oglethorpe Street, which was referred to as "Mill Two." Bibb Manufacturing grew so large, it also absorbed Macon Cotton Factory as well as textile mills in Columbus, Cordele and Reynolds. In 1927, it acquired Payne Cotton Mills in Payne City. By the turn of the 20th century, Bibb Manufacturing had grown into one of Georgia's largest employers. It was so large that entire neighborhoods formed around its mills including Payne City, Beall's Hill and the Mill Hill neighborhood, which is being preserved thanks to efforts by Historic Macon Foundation. Much like the business efforts of Johnston, Bibb Manufacturing not only contributed to the growth of Macon as an industrial city, but also to the health, education and spiritual wellbeing of its employees. In addition to providing housing, Bibb Manufacturing offered health care for its staff through a series of free medical clinics. The company contributed to education by opening schools for children and vocational schools for working adults. Churches of any denomination were encouraged in mill communities. The company even provided free land and covered some costs of construction. In addition, they organized social clubs, sports teams, camps and vacations for their employees. Thanks to the industrious vision of Johnston and other Macon forefathers, Macon has morphed from a center of industry and manufacturing to the socially and economically diverse city it is today, providing healthcare, education and employment for the people of Central Georgia. Even though the local textile industry has faded into history, remnants of Macon's industrial past are visible in the preserved and repurposed buildings in our community. Broadway Lo s on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was a shirt factory. Payne City Antiques in Payne City was a cotton mill. Both are poignant reminders of Macon's industrial past and prosperous future. — WILLIAM AULTMAN, DIRECTOR OF COLLECTIONS AND PROGRAMS FOR THE HAY HOUSE MUSEUM HAY LORE Mill life in Macon's industrial past An ongoing series about Hay House lore, traditions and history 28 maconmagazine.com | JUNE/JULY 2021