Glencoe Mill Village Historic District

Glencoe is a cotton mill village on the east bank of the Haw River in Alamance County, North Carolina, covering a little over 100 acres. The mill was established by James H. and William E. Holt, sons of textile pioneer Edwin M. Holt, between 1880 and 1882, and it produced plaids, checks, flannels and napped cotton cloth. At its height it supported up to 500 people, about half of whom lived in mill housing on the site. The three-story brick mill, built in the Italianate style with stucco labels and a central tower, is the most important structure. Water power came from a concrete dam and a head race about 400 yards long feeding a turbine wheel house. The village retains dozens of frame worker houses along Front and Back Streets, a company store and office, and the mill superintendent's house. The complex is regarded as one of the best-preserved mill villages in the state, showing how textile work, housing and commerce were organized together.