National Register of Historic Places

Alberta Mill Complex

Carrboro, Orange County, North Carolina
Listed
January 19, 1976
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
76001332

About this property

Carr Mill Mall is a small, local shopping mall located in Carrboro, North Carolina. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Alberta Mill Complex. It is also a host for numerous local live performances and other cultural events. Built in 1898 by Thomas F. Lloyd, it was formerly a cotton mill known as the Alberta Cotton Mill. By 1913, it had become one of the world's largest hardwood cross-tie makers, shipping them on train tracks adjacent to the mall that continue past Carrboro to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1909, the Julian Carr family bought the mill. In 1913, Carrboro, previously known as West End, was renamed "Venable" in honor of Francis P. Venable, the president of the University of North Carolina at that time. The mill closed by 1930. In 1945, the mill re-opened and remained open until the 1960s. In 1974, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen voted to have the building torn down to build a shopping mall on the site. In light of community opposition to the plan, the idea was scrapped, and the mill complex was renovated and reopened as Carr Mill Mall. The complex now houses numerous restaurants and stores as well as commercial office space on its upper levels. The song "Freight Train" by Elizabeth 'Libba" Cotten was inspired by the train that ran on the State University Railroad spur past her house on Lloyd St, and which served the needs of Carr Mill. Cotten wrote the song in the early 1900s, as a young teenager.

Location

Carrboro, Orange County, North Carolina
35.91156, -79.07079

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMERCE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Carrboro Commercial Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Neville, Jeter and Ethel, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Lloyd, Thomas F., Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi
West Chapel Hill Historic District
Listed
0.8 mi
Chapel Hill Town Hall
Industrial
0.8 mi

Nearby Battles

Stoneman's Raid — Chapel Hill NC
1865Civil War
0.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Alberta Mill Complex listed on the National Register?

Alberta Mill Complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 19, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Alberta Mill Complex?

Alberta Mill Complex is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Alberta Mill Complex?

The period of significance for Alberta Mill Complex is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Alberta Mill Complex?

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