Richard Ellington

Carrboro (Images of America) Richard Ellington

Although Scots-Irish immigrants settled this area in the 1740s, completion of a rail spur from Hillsborough to a point 1 mile west of Chapel Hill in 1882 was the critical event that spawned Carrboro. The rail line was built to transport ore from an iron mine that closed after a few years, but the spur provided a vital means to transport local goods to market. Thomas Lloyd realized the commercial potential and built a gristmill and cotton gin beside the rail head in 1883. These enterprises prospered, and in 1898 Lloyd built the Alberta Cotton Mill, establishing the mill town identity that persists today. In the century since its founding, Carrboro has evolved from mill town to a progressive and diverse community. Images of America: Carrboro provides a visual history of the transition of Carrboro from humble agrarian origins to an important center for innovation in the performing arts.