Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

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Excavating for building foundation

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  • Workers wearing overalls and felt hats use short-handled shovels to excavate for the building foundation. In this case, they appear to be trying to drain the rainwater out of the excavation. Pile driving machines can be seen working in the background. 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.