Cotton Mill. 1/22/2010.
The condo complex we are staying in was renovated in 1997,
used to be the Maginnis Cotton
Mill established in 1882. The property is located south of the
business district and 2 miles south of the French Quarter. The central
location of our unit affords us to walk everywhere we need to except
grocery shopping.
Cotton was king in New Orleans when Maginnis was in
operation. According to historian John Kendall, New Orleans was the home of
the cotton exchange. In 1884 when the World Fair was held in New Orleans one third of all cotton produced
in the US was handled here.
Arthur Ambrose Maginnis II was born in New Orleans in 1848,
He attended public school and joined the Confederate Guard regimental state
troops at 14, and was called the "youngest confederate." Arthur's father built
the Maginnis Oil and Soap Works in New York City and his son eventually
became manager. Arthur Ambrose II married the daughter of one of the most powerful
politicians in New York City, William Marcy 'Boss' Tweed.
In 1881 Arthur Ambrose began purchasing land for the
Maginnis Cotton Mill. The factory was one of the biggest in America. At its
peak, in early 1890s, the mill employed a thousand workers; men, women and
children. The company operated until 1944.
Near our Condo there are several Hollywood movie crews
filming theater and TV projects. On our street one crew is filming The
Hungry Rabbit Runs starting Nicholas Cage. Two Blocks away
another crew is shooting the HBO series 'Treme.'
