History of the "Boom Days "
Fort Payne went through a period of fantastic growth in its history. Learn about that time period.
Sock Industry History
Sock Industry Grows to Large Proportions...
A meeting which resulted in the establishment of Fort Payne's first hosiery mill was held October 12, 1906 at the DeKalb Hotel. W.B. Davis and James H. Witherspoon, representing the Davis Mill of Chattanooga, and Karl W. Shipman of Pennsylvania, agreed to begin a hosiery mill the next year in the old Alabama Builder's Hardware Manufacturing building.
A February 1907 copy of the Fort Payne Journal stated that his building was originally built a as the Foster Building and as a part of a business enterprise begun by Shipman - head of a number of knitting mills country wide - was to be transformed from its present use as a hardware store into a knitting mill. The new industry promised to give employment to several families and to circulate a good payroll among our businessmen. This and another factory, a cannery, were planned to be built at the same time for a combined bankroll of approximately $5,000. The estimate was given by "a gentleman who makes a business of erecting these factories".
In July the same newspaper reported that a side track for the knitting mill would be put in that month and the mill would be put in that month and the mill would be in operation by September 1, if no accident happened. The mill would manufacture hosiery and underwear and would employ about a thousand hands if they could be secured.
The reporter was assured that this mill would be one of the best of the 11 owned by the same people, all the machinery would be new and of the most approved and efficient pattern, and in every respect it would be an industry of the first class. (top)
Payroll would amount to more than $5,000 per week if the plans were carried out to scale.
On October 16, 1907, the same newspaper announced a "sonorous blast of a deep-toned whistle at 6:30 Tuesday morning announcing that the Florence Hosiery Company had commenced business in Fort Payne". The first knitting mill here consisted of 30 knitting machines and 12 finishing machines on the first floor with plans to add more machinery as fast as the hands could be trained to look after it. The goal was 200 to 300 machines utilizing all three floors and seven to eight hundred employees. Girls and women were hired exclusively - at an hourly wage of 14 cents - with the exception of the necessary foremen and superintendents, and promised employment to all who would apply.
The building was lighted by electricity with its own power plant, one strong enough to keep the mill running, even after the worst of times. The economy of Fort Payne was back on line for the first time since the "boom" went bust, powered by socks.
Today, the numbers have continually escalated both in number of socks produced and in the number of people employed. The technology has also remained `first rate'. Even while machines may take the place of physical power, the amount of production requires "just as many people", according to recent reports, just to keep the socks in step with demand and on their way around the globe.
The Foster Building - better known as the "Big Mill" - is still in use today. While no socks are being produced there it still stands tall as a tribute to the past. The bottom floor is home to an antique mall with many items available paying tribute to the history of our city and the people who made it successful. Also housed in the building is a small café with good food and and a casual atmosphere that will allow you to get a "better feel" for the building. (top)
More Recently...
On May 18, 1953, V.I. Prewett Sr., and Jr. converted their garage at 204 1/2 12th Street into what would be the beginning of a lasting hosiery corporation. Prewett Sr. was the superintendent of manufacturing at a local hosiery mill. Prewett Jr. had recently graduated in engineering from Auburn University and was beginning a career with National Carbide in Columbia, Tennessee.
On one particular weekend when the whole family was at home together in Fort Payne, Alabama, father and son made the decision to go into business. Prewett Sr. had been reconditioning some old knitting machines in his spare time and knew where they could get some inexpensive used knitting machines. In order to determine the price and how much yarn was used in each sock, V.I. Jr. unraveled one dozen socks and took them to a local drugstore to be weighed.
Prewett Sr. negotiated a deal with his former boss to sell him the total weekly production of socks. The office for the first year of operation consisted of a card table used as a desk and nail kegs for chairs. Old onion and cabbage sacks were used as work sacks and the walls and ceiling were covered with yarn cases.
Production began with six full-time employees and eight part timers. Lala Prewett, V.I. Jr.'s wife, was a top puller for quality inspection and Alice Prewett, V.I. Sr.'s wife, inspected every sock on an old converted kitchen table. Over forty years later, V.I. Prewett Jr. has said, "People are everything. They're your biggest asset and the best thing you can invest in. All of us owe a real debt of gratitude to those pioneers who worked in the garage and laid the solid foundations on which this company was built." (top)
With V.I. Prewett Sr. passing away in 1975, V.I. Prewett Jr. (shown left) continued to build this family business into one of the largest hosiery producers in the nation. On November 26, 1996, V.I. Prewett Jr. passed away but left behind hundreds of associates with the same values and work ethic that built this company.
While imports have made an impact on the local area sock industry in recent years, local leaders in the industry are striving to keep hosiery manufacturing thriving by implementing new innovations and technology wherever it can and supplementing lines with imports only when necessary. The local people in this industry take great pride in their work and and will do everything within their power to keep it domestic.
(top)