Note
Notes: The Knox Woolen Company began operation about the time of the Civil War
and made woolen felts used in the manufacture of paper. In its heyday the
mill made use of Camden's abundant resources: water power for the mill, wool
from surrounding farms as well as wool shipped from around the world, and
shipping by water to the paper mills upriver on the Penobscot. By 1905, the
company employed 150 men and women with an annual payroll of $70,000. The
year 1912 saw a three-story, 70-foot extension to its north wing, and in
1916, a 75-foot three-story addition along Washington Street. In 1942, a new
wing was added on the corner of Washington and Mechanic streets, increasing
the mill's working and storage capacity by 15,000 square feet. The mill
expanded again in the early 1960s, adding another 14,000 square feet to
house two needle-felting machines. The Knox Mill assets, including land,
machinery and dams, were sold to Mt. Vernon Company of South Carolina in
Feb. 1982. Mt. Vernon closed the mill and moved its operations out of state
in 1988.
Status: OK
Status By: Heather Bilodeau
Status Date: 2009-01-26