This news item expired on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Filmmakers Jerry and Rebecca Williams will present an illustrated program about the legacy of Beacon Blanket Mill at the Fairview Library on Tuesday, September 10 at 7 p.m. Jerry and Rebecca are making a documentary film, Blanket Town, about the rise and fall of the Beacon Blanket Mill in Swannanoa and its influence on the people who worked there.
This program will examine the migration of the textile industry from England, to New England to the American South to overseas. The story of the Beacon mill is the story of the US manufacturing industry, a complex legacy of generations of workers who lived and worked together "like a family" in tight knit communities. With the decline of the textile industry in the 70's and 80's, life in small mill towns like Swannanoa changed dramatically.
Many local residents or their parents worked at Beacon and all are encouraged to attend this free program. For more information, contact the library at 250-6484 or email fairview.library@buncombecounty.org.