Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all

Construction of a paper machine building

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  • Crane towers and pipe chutes are being used here to pour concrete for a new paper machine building, likely in the early 1930s. Note the Penland--Wells house in the distance. This photograph is part of the Alan & Stephen Sellars Collection, a collection of photographs depicting the construction of the Champion Fibre Company paper mill in Canton, North Carolina. The mill, under construction from 1905 until 1908, was, for a time, the largest paper mill in the world. Much of the description information came from Carroll C. Jones and his book “Thomson’s Pulp Mill: Building the Champion Fibre Company at Canton, North Carolina – 1905 to 1908” where more details can be found.