Allenbrook: Civil War-Era Plantation Home


Artist’s Rendition of Early Ivy and Laurel Mills, Roswell, Georgia (Date Unknown)



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Artist’s Rendition of Early Ivy and Laurel Mills, Roswell, Georgia (Date Unknown).

Roswell Historical Society




Google Earth image with the approximate location of the Ivy and Laurel Mills ruins near the confluence of Vickery Creek and the Chattahoochee River.

Sope Creek Paper Mill

Nestled in the woods, on the banks of Sope Creek and the intersection of Paper Mill Road, are the historic ruins of the Marietta Paper Mill. Once the largest paper mill in the state, these ruins have great historical significance. These ruins are a part of and are protected by the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and the National Parks Service.

Construction on the Marietta Paper Mill began in 1853 and production began two years later in 1855. The Paper Mill included a mill, oil room, mill sluice (raceway), storeroom, dam, machine shop, pulp-grinding mill and two shelters. The Marietta Paper Mill was known as a “rag mill.” This was due to the paper being made from linen rags and old cotton. The abundance of water from Sope Creek and a dam upstream made the paper making process successful at the mill. The job of the mill was to make and provide paper to most of the south from 1855 to 1902. The mill produced writing paper, printing paper, tissue paper, wrapping paper and later produced twine. It also manufactured cartridge paper used in Rebel guns. The mill was even rumored to have printed Confederate money and bonds therefore nicknaming it the “Confederate Mint.” However, those claims have never been substantiated.

At the time of the Civil War, the Marietta Paper Mill was the largest in the state. This made it a target of destruction during Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign. General William Tecumseh Sherman devised a plan to burn everything that would help the South and prolong their fighting in the Civil War. Union soldiers, led by General Gerrard, burned the mill. There are conflicting reports whether the mill was burned on July 5 or July 6, 1864 by the Union army.

After the Civil War, the paper mill was rebuilt and back in operation by September 1868. However, on the morning of November 7, 1870, a mill worker accidentally caused a fire which partially destroyed the factory. They rebuilt the damaged part of the mill and four months later they were once again producing paper.

The mill struggled financially for a while and then went bankrupt. The mill was sold at public auction and then renamed the Marietta Paper Manufacturing Company. The Marietta Paper Manufacturing Company was successful due to two new innovations; using pine pulp and by producing twine. These innovations discovered by Jefferson Land helped the mill financially for many years. But due to another fire at the mill, increased competition, being in a remote location and not being close enough to a railroad, the mill was losing money. The mill was finally closed in 1902.

The ruins, although deteriorating and abandoned, remain a tourist attraction because of their historical significance and beauty. The ruins are listed on the National Register. It is now the responsibility of the National Parks Service to balance the preservation of the ruins while also sharing their beauty with the surrounding community.





Marietta, May 1907.. Marietta Paper Mill Company

Vanishing Georgia Collection, Georgia Archives, Image Cob516.

Place diagram here.

The Marietta Paper Mill Ruins

www.bingimages.com





The Marietta Paper Mill Ruins http://mw.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium

Sope Creek Paper Mill: Applicable Georgia Standards

ELACC11-12WHST7 Conduct a short research project to answer a question or solve a problem, synthesize multiple sources on the subject and demonstrate understanding of the subject under investigation.

ELACC6-8WHST7 Conduct a short research project to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

ELACC11-12WHST7 Conduct a short research project to answer a question or solve a problem, synthesize multiple sources on the subject and demonstrate understanding of the subject under investigation.

ELACC6-8WHST2 Write an informative text that includes narration of historical events and technical processes.

ELACC11-12RH7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media in order to address a question or solve a problem.

ELACC11-12RH9 Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.

ELACC6-8WHST0 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

ELACC9-10WHST6 Use technology, including the Internet to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and display information flexibly and dynamically.

ELACC6-8RH7 Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

ELACC11-12RH6 Evaluate differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing all claims, reasoning, and evidence.
Sope Creek Paper Mill: Student Activities

  1. You’re Hired!

It is 1855 and the Marietta Paper Mill will begin producing paper in a few months. You are hired to run all aspects of the mill. Your first assignment is to give a speech to the community about the paper mill. In your speech, you will describe what the mill will be like when it is fully operational. You will also explain your job expectations and expectations of your workers. You will create a daily schedule for yourself and for your workers. Your second task will be to write a job description for each job at the mill and create help wanted ads to attract workers. I know you will do a fantastic job running this mill!

  1. Excitement Hits Marietta

It is 1855 and the new Marietta Paper Mill just began production. You were just hired by the Marietta Daily Journal to write a story about the mill. You want to do a great job and impress your boss. Your instructions are to find out all you can about the day to day operations at the mill. You can interview workers,bosses and owners of the mill. Write about what products the mill is producing and what procedures it is following to make their products. Give your readers as much information as possible. I know you will become one of the best journalists in Georgia. We can’t wait to read your article!

  1. Sketch the Mill

It is 1855 and the new Marietta Paper Mill just began production. The community is very curious about the mill. You were just hired by the Marietta Daily Journal to sketch detailed pictures of the mill. You want to do a great job and impress your boss. Your instructions are to find out all you can about the day to day operations at the mill. You can interview workers,bosses and owners of the mill to find out what is being produced in each room or section of the mill. Sketch all rooms in the mill and be sure to explain what job is done in each of the rooms. Be sure your sketch is very detailed.

  1. Strategize

The Southern States succeeded from the Union, formed the Confederacy and chose Jefferson Davis to be their leader. Now the Northern and Southern states have been fighting the Civil War for years. You are the owner of the Marietta Paper Mill, which is one of the most successful paper mills in the South. You have heard about Sherman’s plan to destroy anything in the south that can help the Confederates win the war. You just received word that General Sherman is sending troops to burn your mill. Devise a plan to save your mill and heed off Union soldiers. Strategize to come up with your best plan. You have a lot at stake!

  1. Bad News!

You are the owner of the Marietta Paper Mill and the Union troops just burned your mill. Choose a partner to work with and pretend you are being interviewed about the attack. Inquisitive minds want to know how you are feeling now that the mill was burned by the Union and your plans for the future of the mill. Add a lot of historical details. Answer why you think your mill was a target. Address the rumors that the paper mill was making Confederate money. Perform your interview skit for your class.

  1. Lesson Planning

Compare the paper mills of the 19th century with modern paper companies of. Show how they are similar and how they are different. What steps did they follow to produce their paper products? Are we using any of the old paper making steps or are they all outdated? What steps do we use now? Are we still producing the same products? What are the new products paper companies are producing today? Use drawings, computer programs, sketches, etc. to create models of the mills of the past compared to the paper companies of today.

  1. Which Side Are You On?

The Marietta Paper Mill has been burned by Union troops during the Civil War. It will take a lot of money, time and hard work to reconstruct the mill to make it operational again. Your class will be split into two groups. Each side will debate whether or not the mill should be rebuilt after the fire and attack. Discuss the economics of reconstructing the mill.

  1. In Charge of Preservation

The National Park Service and the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area have a big responsibility when taking care of historical sites. How do we preserve sites that are on the Historic Register while encouraging the public to visit and enjoy the sites? If you worked at the Chattahoochee National Recreation Center and you were responsible for the Marietta Paper Mill Ruins, what would you do? How would you reach the balance between maintaining the integrity of the ruins while encouraging the community to experience the beauty and the historical significance of the ruins? If you look at the pictures of the ruins, you can see that there are weeds and trees growing through and around the ruins. How much maintenance should be done to preserve the ruins? Should the public be able to come and visit, touch or sit on the ruins? What are the difficulties of maintaining the ruins? List ways that you think the Marietta Paper Mill Ruins should be maintained and preserved while allowing the public to visit and enjoy. Who knows? You could be working for the National Park Service one day!

  1. Reflection Activities

  • How do you think this site looked during the Civil War? Write a descriptive paper or draw a sketch to describe the mill when it was fully operational.

  • Research and explain the paper making process during the 19th century. Explain why having water nearby was so important. Why was the Marietta Paper Mill called a rag mill?

  • Create a historical timeline of all mill events from the original construction to the final closing in 1902.

  • What are your thoughts about the Marietta Paper Mill Ruins while visiting the site? What would you do to preserve the site? Why should this site be preserved? What is the historical significance in preserving this site?

Bibliography

Allenbrook: Civil War-Era Plantation Home

Allenbrook: Historic Structure Report. Atlanta, Georgia: Hartrampf, Inc., and Office of Jack Pyburn, Architect, Inc., for Historical Architecture, Cultural Resources Division Southeast Regional Office National Park Service, 2004.

Gerdes, Marti and Messer, Scott. Chattachoochee River National Recreation Area Historic Resource Study, February 2007.

Hitt, Michael. Charged With Treason. Monroe, N.Y.: Liberty Research Associates, Inc., 1992.

“The New Georgia Encloypedia.” July 18, 2012.



Crossing the River: Bridges Over the Chattahoochee

www. waymarking.com

www. historicbridges.com

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Historic Resource Study, Cultural Resources, Southeast Region.



Hyde Farm: A Trip Back in Time

Friends of Hyde Farm website, http://www.friendsof-hydefarm.org (accessed July 20, 2012).

Photos: J.C. and Nell and Hyde Farmhouse. Atlanta Journal Constitution. Web http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/metro/cobb/hydefarm0605/

Friends of Hyde Farm website, http://www.friendsofhydefarm.org.

NPS, (2008).Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Historic Resources Study. Second edition. September 2008.

Environmental Education in Georgia website, http://eeingeorgia.org/net/org/info (accessed July 20, 2012).

Morgan Falls Dam: Harnessing the Power of the Chattahoochee (Need References)

Roswell Manufacturing Company: Textile Production

Civil War Georgia. Civil War in Georgia Timeline Retrieved July 23, 2012, from

www://Gacivilwar.org

Foote, S. (2006). The Civil War: A NarrativeGeneral troop movements in the Battle for Atlanta,

1864- Map”. Random House.

New Georgia Encyclopedia. Roswell and Roswell King-Image. Retrieved July 23, 2012, from

www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-956
Roswell Historical Society. About Roswell, Georgia. Retrieved July 10, 2012, from

www.Roswellhs.org


The Georgia Archives, Vanishing Georgia, Image ful0525. “Roswell, ca. 1890. Group standing in

front of Laurel Woolen Mill near Vickery Creek”. Morrow, GA.
Sope Creek Paper Mill

http://ngeorgia.com/ang/Sope_Creek_Unit

www.nps.gov

http://www.reference.com/browse/Sope+Creek



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sope_Creek

Gerdes, Marti, M., & Messer, Scott, S. National Park Service. (2008). Chattahoochee river national recreation area historic resource guide

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