Maryland > Allegany County > Landmark #198585

Lonaconing Silk Mill

In ruins
Also known as: Klotz Throwing Factory
Last intact silk mill in America

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Description 

A local Lonaconing banker, Duncan Sloan, overheard Klotz Throwing Company executives discussing their search for a place to build a new factory and suggested his hometown. Work began on the plant in August 1905 and was finished in a year's time. In it's heyday, the late 1920s, the plant employed over 300. Competition with newer, modern facilities and the introduction of synthetics doomed the facility and it was closed in 1957. A local entrepreneur purchased the grounds in the mid 1970s but could never get his ideas off the drawing board. The buildings lie today in a state of decay, better than a complete loss, but certainly could be better if preservation attempts were made. Preservation Maryland listed the Lonaconing Silk Mill on its Most Endangered Buildings list for 2007.

Tags 

Allegany County, Maryland (52)
Built 1905 (824)
Built during 1900s (9,042)
Factory (167)
In ruins (259)
Industrial building (1,143)
Lonaconing, Maryland (3)
Maryland (1,781)

Update Log 

  • April 29, 2011: Added by K. A. Erickson

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Lonaconing Silk Mill
Posted December 13, 2011, by K. A. Erickson

An incipient movement is slowly underway to raise funds for the roof at Lonaconing Silk Mill. It is hoped that whatever is collected will spur others into action as well transforming the landmark into a habitable place for businesses while preserving the machine area as future museum space. This month's efforts involve a charity raffle for hair falls and steampunk-ish goggles.

http://www.facebook.com/savethelonaconingsilkmill?sk=info