Manufacturing Establishments in Denton County
Denton County History | Pilot Point History | Politics | Agriculture | Manufacturing
The milling company in Denton, currently Morrison Milling Company, was founded in 1886 as the Farmer's Alliance Milling Company. It was then intended as a market for wheat growers in the area. From 1875 to 1920, it won many prizes for its flour, especially as Mediterranean wheat dominated the acerage in the area -- determined as the best milling wheat. It recieved awards from the Dallas Fair, the St. Louis Fair, The Paris Exposition, and the Chicago's World Fair.
In Pilot Point, the Cooper, Slez & Co. owned cotton gin was considered "one of the largest and most modern plants in the country," according to a local newspaper article, in 1908.
While these are only two examples of manufacturing estabishments in Denton County, they were significant establishments that were renowned for the products they produced or the establishment itself. Additionally, as can be seen from the charts and newspaper clippings below, other manufacturing establishments did exist in the area.
Manufacturing establishments peaked in Denton County in 1900 at 129, but by 1920 the number had falled to merely 42. However, despite the drop in establishments, the value of manufacturing input and output peaked in 1920, a significant increase from 1900. This could be attributed to consolidation of manufacturing establishments in the county. By 1930, the number of manufacturing establishments, value of manufacturing input and output, and total annual wages had all decreased. It can be assumed that these developments can be attributed to the Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression.
St. John's did not have any manufacturing establishments within its community, however it did have access to the establishments within the larger communites of Pilot Point and Denton County. However, this was not the case with all freedmen's communities, since communities like Deep Ellum and others had establishments of their own.
Citations:
Atkins, Irvin M. A History of Small Grain Crops in Texas: Wheat, Oats, Barley, and Rye, 1582 - 1976. College Station: Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.; The Post-Signal (Pilot Point, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 1, Ed. 1 Friday, August 21, 1908, University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; .