Robert Brock

I worked in several textile mills in Greenville SC in my younger days. When air conditioning and humidity control became available the windows were bricked up. I worked on the old Draper shuttle looms and the Sulzer projectile looms. The warp fibers break less when the temperature and humidity are controlled. We had ductwork overhead that sprayed water mist out at regular intervals. It was hot and humid in the weave room.

Had the same question when posting earlier but could not find anything definitive but have pieced together a few details.

It seemed very common to brick these old Mills and many similar buildings in the 1950s and 60s and some before. I've read that it was an attempt "to control humidity" but the writer didn’t go into further detail.

Further learned it was probably related to the introduction of air-conditioning which meant the old drafty windows were easier to brick up than replace with something modern. And cheaper.

But... I love your grandpa's reason!

My grandpa says they started bricking up the windows because the girls hung out them all the time, like in the pic. What do you guys think?

NTW... I love Shorpy!

This is a very interesting page. I've got it bookmarked so I can check in on it again.

Actually, the song of Aragon Mill by Si Kahn is about a textile mill in Aragon, Georgia.

http://www.triskelle.eu/lyrics/aragonmill.php?index=080.010.020

If you'd like to see pictures of the Aragon Mill in Rock Hill, SC, please come visit my web site - I love photographing these old mills...

http://glassmask.net/deb/mills.html

There's still "no smoke at all coming out of the stack." Aragon Mill today with the windows bricked over.

There's a song about Aragon Mill by Si Kahn:

At the east end of town
At the foot of the hill
There's a chimney so tall
It says Aragon Mill.

And the only tune I hear
Is the sound of the wind
As she blows through the town
Weave and spin, weave and spin.