Trystan Casey
Electric Mills is an unincorporated community in Kemper County, Mississippi, that was established in 1913. The town was built by the Sumter Lumber Company, which relocated to Kemper County from Alabama. Electric Mills was named after its modern, electrically-powered mill, which was one of the first mills to be completely electric-powered. The town had many amenities, including a church, school, hospital, two hotels, a movie theater, train depot, and several shops. However, after milling ceased in the 1940s, residents started moving away, and the town was eventually abolished. Today, Electric Mills is a ghost town, with only a historical marker remaining on the site.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Kemper County, Mississippi |
| Type | Unincorporated community |
| Former Names | Bogda Station, Sumter Lumber Company |
| Former Industries | Logging, lumber |
| Former Population | 2500+ |
| Former Amenities | Church, men's club, school, hospital, 2 hotels, movie theater, train depot, auto garage, service station, shops |
| Former Attractions | Lake |
| Current Population | 100 |
| Current Status | Ghost town, abolished |
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What You'll Learn
Electric Mills was a flourishing town of over 2500 people
The Sumter Lumber Company built one of the largest shortleaf mills in the United States in Electric Mills. For many years, it was the largest single unit producer of shortleaf yellow pine in the world. The company owned all the virgin shortleaf timber in the area, which was unusually soft, close-grained, heavy with sap, and practically free of pitch. The soft fibre and white colour of the timber led to the trademark of "NEARWHITE", which was used to market the product across the country.
Electric Mills was a thriving community with amenities usually reserved for larger cities. All the town's buildings had electric lights, provided free of charge by the mill. The town boasted a church, a men's club, a school, a hospital, two hotels, a movie theatre, a train depot, an auto garage, a service station, and several shops, including a barber shop, a shoe shop, and a meat market.
However, the prosperity of Electric Mills was short-lived. When milling ceased in the 1940s, residents began to move away, signalling the town's decline. In 1999, the last remaining house built by the Sumter Lumber Company was destroyed, and the town was officially abolished by Governor Paul Johnson. Today, Electric Mills is a ghost town, with a historical marker serving as one of the few remaining traces of its existence.
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The town was built by the Sumter Lumber Company
The town of Electric Mills in Kemper County, Mississippi, was built by the Sumter Lumber Company. The company moved to the county from Alabama in 1912 or 1913, establishing the town of Electric Mills. The town was named after the company's modern, electrically powered mill, which was one of the first mills to be completely electric-powered.
Sumter Lumber Company built the first completely electrified mill in the country. The mill was powered by steam, which was produced by firing a boiler with slabs, sawdust, planning mill chips, and other waste from the lumber manufacturing process. This steam was then used to power the electrical generators. The town was also provided with electric lights in all its buildings and dwellings, free of charge, thanks to the mill.
The Sumter Lumber Company's mill near Livingston, Alabama, burned down, prompting the company's relocation to Kemper County, Mississippi. They chose a site originally named Bogda Station, after a nearby creek, where there was already a town and a sawmill established by Mr. Cochran and Mr. Harrington. The Sumter Lumber Company bought the mill and town site and built their new mill.
The town of Electric Mills flourished with over 2500 residents at its peak. It had amenities usually reserved for larger cities, including a church, men's club, school, hospital, two hotels, a movie theater, train depot, auto garage, service station, and several shops, including a barber shop, shoe shop, and meat market. Electric Mills was an incorporated town and a complete unit in itself, owned in its entirety by the Sumter Lumber Company.
However, the prosperity of Electric Mills was short-lived. When milling ceased in the 1940s, residents started moving away, and the town began to decline. In 1999, the last remaining house built by the Sumter Lumber Company was destroyed, and the town was officially abolished by Governor Paul Johnson due to its dwindling population. Today, Electric Mills is a ghost town, with only a historical marker remaining to tell its story.
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It was home to the first fully electric lumber mill east of the Mississippi River
Electric Mills was a flourishing town in Kemper County, Mississippi, that was home to the first fully electric lumber mill east of the Mississippi River. The town was established in 1913 by the Sumter Lumber Company, which relocated to Kemper County from Alabama after its mill near Livingston, Alabama, burned down. The mill in Electric Mills was built in 1912 and was the first fully electric lumber mill in the country.
The town was named after its modern, electrically powered mill, which was one of the first mills to be completely powered by electricity. The use of electricity to power a mill was a new concept at the time, and the mill in Electric Mills was the first fully functioning electric lumber mill east of the Mississippi River. The slabs, sawdust, planning mill chips, and other waste from the lumber mill were used to fire a boiler that produced steam to power the electrical generators.
The Sumter Lumber Company built the mill on the site of an existing town and sawmill established by Mr. Cochran and Mr. Harrington. The post office in Electric Mills was opened on April 22, 1905, and the name of the town was changed from Bogda Station, the name of a nearby creek, to Electric Mills on June 10, 1911, to reflect the uniqueness of the new lumber manufacturing process.
The town of Electric Mills flourished due to its affiliation with the mill. All of the town's buildings and dwellings had electric lights, which were provided by the mill free of charge. The town had a church, men's club, school, hospital, two hotels, a movie theater, train depot, auto garage, service station, and several shops, including a barber shop, shoe shop, and meat market. However, the prosperity of Electric Mills was short-lived. Milling ceased in the 1940s, and as a result, residents started moving away, leading to the eventual decline of the town.
Today, Electric Mills is a ghost town, with only a historical marker remaining to provide a brief history of the once-thriving community. The town was officially abolished by the proclamation of Gov. Paul Johnson, as the Sumter Lumber Company had moved its sawmill, causing the population to drop below 100 inhabitants and the Board of Alderman to cease operations.
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The town's mill provided free electric lights to all buildings and dwellings
Electric Mills was a town in Kemper County, Mississippi, that was established in 1913. The town was built by the Sumter Lumber Company, which relocated to the county from Alabama. The town was named after its modern, electrically powered mill—one of the first mills to be completely electric-powered.
In addition to free electric lights, the residents of Electric Mills also had access to a church, a men's club, a school, a hospital, two hotels, a movie theater, a train depot, an auto garage, a service station, and several shops, including a barber shop, a shoe shop, and a meat market. The town was a flourishing community with over 2,500 people at its peak.
However, the prosperity of Electric Mills was short-lived. When milling ceased in the 1940s, residents started to move away, and the town began to decline. Eventually, the town was abolished by proclamation of Gov. Paul Johnson, as the Sumter Lumber Company had moved out and the population had dropped below 100 inhabitants. Today, Electric Mills is a ghost town, with only a historical marker remaining to tell its story.
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Electric Mills is now a ghost town
Electric Mills in Kemper County, Mississippi, is now a ghost town. The town was established in 1913 and was named after its modern, electrically powered mill, which was one of the first mills to be completely electric-powered. The mill was built and owned by the Sumter Lumber Company, which had relocated to Kemper County from Alabama. The company also built railroads from Tamola to Kemper Springs and other parts of Southeast Kemper.
The town of Electric Mills was a thriving community, with a Club House, a Playground, a Community House, an Ice Cream Parlor, and an Ice Manufacturing plant. The company also provided a 52-bed hospital, a picture show, and a commissary. However, in the 1940s, milling ceased, and as a result, residents started to move away. In 1949, the town had fewer than 100 inhabitants, and the Board of Alderman had not held a meeting in six months. The town was officially abolished by Governor Paul Johnson, and in 1999, the last remaining house that the company had built was destroyed.
Today, Electric Mills is completely deserted, with only a historical marker remaining to provide a brief history of the town. The rise and fall of Electric Mills is a fascinating story, and it serves as a reminder of the once-thriving community that is now a ghost town in rural Mississippi. The town is located along Highway 45 in Kemper County, and while it may be forgotten, it is a part of the state's rich history.
Electric Mills was once a vibrant and innovative place, with its electrically powered mill and modern amenities. However, the cessation of milling in the 1940s marked the beginning of the end for the town, and it slowly faded into obscurity. Now, it is a ghost town, a shadow of its former self, but its story lives on and continues to fascinate those interested in the history of Mississippi and its unique communities.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Electric Mills is considered a ghost town. It is located in Kemper County, Mississippi, and was once a flourishing community of over 2500 people. However, after the mill closed in the 1940s, residents started moving away, and the town was eventually abolished by proclamation of Gov. Paul Johnson due to its dwindling population.
The electric mill in Electric Mills was the first completely electrified mill in the country and the first fully functioning electric lumber mill east of the Mississippi River. It was built by the Sumter Lumber Company, which relocated to Kemper County, Mississippi, from Alabama in 1912. The mill was powered by electrical generators, which were fuelled by waste from the lumber manufacturing process, such as slabs, sawdust, and planning mill chips.
Electric Mills had many amenities typically reserved for larger cities. The town had electric lights in all its buildings and dwellings, provided free of charge by the mill. It also had a church, men's club, school, hospital, two hotels, a movie theatre, train depot, auto garage, service station, and several shops, including a barber shop, shoe shop, and meat market.
Electric Mills became a ghost town after the Sumter Lumber Company's mill closed in the 1940s. With the cessation of milling, residents began to move away, and the town lost its vitality. By the time Gov. Paul Johnson abolished the town, it had fewer than 100 inhabitants, and the Board of Alderman had not held a meeting in six months.
