History of Business in Augusta
The history of business in Augusta is defined by both tradition and innovation. We hold the business records of the Augusta Cotton Exchange, The Augusta Savings Bank, Georgia Railroad Bank, Enterprise Mill, Riverside Mill, Sibley Mill, and Enterprise Mill, along with other businesses which operated in Augusta in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Sibley Mill, completed in 1882, on the site of the former Confederate Powderworks, was originally a cotton mill but, as of 2016, is considered a commercial and residential mixed-use development.
Enterprise Mill opened as a flour mill in 1848, and was decommissioned in 1983. Resurrected in 1995, it now offers office spaces and loft apartments, as well as being a premier venue for weddings and other events. It is considered one of the great success stories of Augusta's late twentieth century revival of downtown.
The Augusta Cotton Exchange was built in the 1880's during the midst of a cotton boom. Currently, the building is a branch of Georgia Bank & Trust in Augusta.
The ways in which these historic buildings have been preserved and utilized for other purposes is a testament to the ingenuity of Augusta business owners and developers.
Augusta City Guides
The Augusta City Guides are a valuable resource with information about businesses in Augusta from 1859 to the present day. Each volume contains the names of business owners, addresses, and advertisements. There are also several books which compile some of the most prevalent and useful themes in the guides: all of the women-owned businesses in operation between 1841 and 1901, for instance. These guides are one of Special Collection's most popular resources.
Minority-Owned Businesses
Despite many challenges over te years, minorities, particularly those in the African-American community, have contributed richly to the business community here in Augusta. One such example is the Thompson family farm which has been in operation for over a century. Initially operated by John Thompson and John Ann Crosby, the farm is a symbol of the strength and tenacity of African-American business owners, even during the most difficult years of Reconstruction and Jim Crow.
The Chinese community has also contributed to business in Augusta. During the expansion of the Augusta Canal in 1875, over 200 Chinese immigrants came to Augusta to build parts of the canal. While most of these laborers left Augusta after the completion of the canal, at least 10 families stayed and opened grocery stores and laundries. Today, they are a small, but resilient force in the business community.
Legacy
Business is still flourishing in Augusta today. Augusta Cyber Works, a high tech business park, has taken up residence in the old Sibley Mill, providing an economic boost to the area. And of the many businesses downtown, including Sweets on Broad, The Cotton Patch, and Humanitree House Juice Joint and Gallery, many are owned and operated by African-Americans, continuing the rich legacy of minority-run business in Augusta.
Broad Street (1900). Youngbloods Drug Store.
Singer Machines (sewing equipment business) on Broad Street.
Murphy & Farrar (photography business). Early twentieth century.