Did you know before The Lofts at Osage Mill it was known as the Osage Cotton Mill?
Bessemer City is located in the western part of Gaston County, on the main line of the Norfolk and Southern Railroad. The city's name was inspired by the rich mineral deposits, particularly iron ore, and the Bessemer process for iron manufacturing. Today, lithium deposits are attracting mining interests due to the demand for lithium-ion batteries in high-tech applications.
The town was chartered in 1893, with John Askew Smith as a principal developer. He also built a fine hotel atop Whetstone Mountain. With the rise of cotton mills in other parts of the county and North Carolina, Smith and his partner, J.A. Pinchback, organized a textile mill. However, lacking experience in the textile industry, they overspent on the building, leaving no funds to purchase equipment.
In late 1895, Stonewall Jackson Durham, John M. Odell, and the Odell Manufacturing Co. of Concord, NC, purchased the partially completed mill and finished its construction the following year. The new company, Southern Cotton Mill, was chartered on December 10, 1895, and opened with 8,000 spindles and 362 looms. This was the first mill in Bessemer City and the eighteenth in Gaston County. The company expanded in 1905 to include 16,272 spindles and 400 looms.
However, the national economic panic of 1907 led to the company's failure in 1908. Caesar Cone of Greensboro operated the mill as a receiver under court order for a time, but it was sold at auction for the second time in 1909.
Living at Osage Mill is like experiencing history all over again. The original frame windows, tile walls, and hardwood floors, along with the grand hallways and massive windows, exude a timeless charm. Each newly constructed unit has its unique character, featuring exposed brick, original tile, and two-tone wood floors. The lofts at Osage Mill offer a piece of history, ready for new memories to be made and a place to call home.