Yes, even factories have styles.
This 1896 Victorian roller mill was built in the Second Empire style by Northside Roller Mill Company. Originally this feed, meal and flour mill was steam-powered. Between 1924 and 1927 it was converted to electrical power. The original three-story portion of the building is brick with granite trim, topped by a Mansard roof. It was expanded in 1906 with the addition of the large gable-roofed grain elevator with cupola. Surprisingly, most of the original belt-driven machinery for the six original roller mills remained intact and could be seen while touring the mill. The mill was operated by the Grimes family from 1906 to 1963 and continued functioning until 1982 when it was purchased by Historic Salisbury Foundation.
Grimes Mill was one of two roller mill museums in North Carolina and was located at 600 North Church Street. In the early morning hours of January 16, 2013, a devastating fire destroyed the mill. Wood, bricks and other materials were salvaged after the fire. Historic Salisbury Foundation sold bricks, donated wood to New Sarum Brewery for its counters and tables, and contributed lumber to the repair of the Henderson Law Office.
Historic Salisbury Foundation attempts to reuse as many resources as possible and operates an Architectural Salvage Warehouse located at the Salisbury Icehouse, 224 East Horah Street in Salisbury. This Architectural Salvage Warehouse is open the second Saturday of every month 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Closed the month of October)
