Industrial+Town

Concord at the time had fewer than 1000 people before the civil war. Once the North Carolina Railroad was restored after the civil war, nearby farmers had begun to grow alot of cotton, then a cotton factory was made. The city had more than half a dozen cotton mills in the area. By 1900, more than 4000 people had lived in Concord to get connected to the working industry. The city of Concord also had things we have today like stores, hotels and churches. And even schools. But the black neighbors had a different neighborhood with different stores, hotels, and churches.

The railroads made a big difference in transportation. It connected the city to the stores. It also made the town of Burlington famous for the railroads, because back then it was overshadowed by the city of Graham.

Life in a cotton mill must have been very hard. Many of the people who worked there were men woman and even children. There were many strict rules to live in a cotton mill. The children had to leavve school to work there. Some children as young as 8 had to work there. The pay was low, they did not pay the children, they paid the family in a "family wage". North Carolina has passed laws to restrict the age of the use of child labor in 1913. Yet, many mills ignored the laws, and there were very few state officials around to enforce them.