Indera Mills
Also known as: Maline Mills
Why it's listed
Brick factory buildings at the southwestern corner of Wachovia and South Marshall Streets in Winston-Salem, begun in 1904 as a knit-goods mill. The two-story main building has segmental arch windows, decorative curved rafter ends, and a five-to-one common bond brick wall. A 1916 south addition by Northup & O'Brien Architects closely matches the original. The complex was built for Wachovia Knitting Company, later Maline Mills, which made ladies' knit vests and underwear. Colonel Francis H. Fries, a leading figure in the city's textile development, founded Maline Mills around 1900. Indera Mills occupied the complex from 1926 until 1998, producing knit slips and related garments. It is significant as an example of the early twentieth-century textile industry that helped build Winston-Salem alongside tobacco. The buildings were also central to the Fries family's nearby industrial enterprises.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the complex is significant under Criterion A for its role in the early twentieth-century textile industry of Winston-Salem, part of a small industrial center between Salem and Winston developed by the Fries family. It connects the Maline Mills and Indera Mills knit-goods operations to the city's growth beyond tobacco. It also notes that long-term use of the coal-fired boiler helped preserve a high level of historic integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 99000843, listed July 15, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 400 S. Marshall St., Winston-Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Forsyth County |
| Listed | July 15, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000843 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | C. 1904-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Northup & O'Brien Architects (1916 addition) |
| Architectural style | OTHER: early 20th century industrial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied by Indera Mills until 1998; the complex retains high historic integrity. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | West Salem Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.08967, -80.24701 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 99000843.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19462475
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.