	Philadelphia Hosiery Mill
	As I walk through the streets of Philadelphia, I can see a diversity of things. Some I can easily relate to, but others are a vague impression on my mind. I can see the legacy that remains within the town's midst, but there is still a feeling of emptiness that surrounds it. I guess this is due to the simplicity of it. Unlike normal conditions, this area seems to thrive on its quaintness, its apparent lack of commotion and problems. It seems obvious that a change of culture and surroundings has taken place in this environment. I wonder what it must have been like years ago, in the age of generations past, in the time of a different Philadelphia, a time when life's complexities hadn't arrived, and a time when society was different. I also wonder how it was for my ancestors to found, operate, and live off the Hosiery Mill, which was the source of employment for most of the Philadelphians of this time. It is on this subject I would like to form the
image of the day in your eyes, as it was in theirs.  
	Matthew Edward "Matt" Waller, 13, is an 8th grader
 	at Philadelphia School. He is the great-grandson of the 
	Hosiery Mill's founder, Edward Warren Waller, Sr., and the son of 		"Red" and Kathy Waller. Matt plays basketball, football, and golf He 		won the Junior Golf Tournament at Riverview in 1981 and1983. 
	Some time in July of 1921, my great-grandfather, Edward Waller, came to Philadelphia in an attempt to establish a hosiery mill. I'm sure he
was not aware at the time that this idea would alter and enhance the
                                lives of the next generations that
                                inhabited this area. But nevertheless,
                                he found the industry-needing com
                                munity in favor of his plans, and
                                shortly thereafter, his dreams for
                                fortune were a reality. On August 29,
                                1921, the charter with the state was
                                approved, and the board of directors
                                held its first meeting. I know this
                                must have been a proud day in my
                                great-grandfather's life. His goals for
                                the practically new society were
                                fmally attained.                                   On this grand day for Philadelphia
                                the directing board of the new mill
                                elected its first officers. They were as
                                follows: J. H. Thompson, President; 	W. P. Sizer, Vice-President; E. W.	~_
                                Waller, Secretary and Treasurer; and
                                E. W. Waller, Manager.
	There were various reasons why	 \\

~;~
       ; Later
        the source of employment for many

        Philadelphia was the ideal place to
        establish such an operation, not the
        least of which was the availability of
        a transportation method. This, of
        course, was the railroad. For more
        than 40 years of the mill's operation,
        goods were shipped by rail. This
        factor convinced M r. Waller that this
        area was perfect for the mill. The
        mill's goods could be easily taken by
        rail all over the country. It is for this
        reason that in its many years of exis
        tence, the corporation expanded
        horizons and grew enormously. In
        fact it grew so much that during the
        mill's mid to later years, it had sales
        representatives in New York,
        Georgia, and in various places on the
        west coast.           Another factor that helped bring
        the mill to Philadelphia was the
        availability of suitable land, includ
        ing Sweetwater Creek. This gave the
        mill plenty of room to build and
        grow, as well as providing a plentiful
        supply of water needed in the operation . 

Hosiery Mill during the 1920's.

  Early in its existence, the mill's products and machinery were fairly simple. But shortly after, steps were taken to further advance and modernize the equipment. Thus a better product made was the one and only productinfant's hosiery. I'm sure it was due in part to this specializing 
on one product that the business was so successful. But regardless of the reason, the business caused a great change for the people and the society that no one could have predicted. A community grew around the business. Philadelphia advanced on to higher 

The Mill flourished until the 1960's u

destroyed.
  This common bond which was interwoven into many Philadelphia families was vividly portrayed in the summer of 1984 when over 200 former employees and their children gathered at Philadelphia Park for a mill reunion. I'm sure many of the children, as myself, had heard stories all their lives about events which occurred at the mill. It was a pleasure to meet and visit with some of the people I'd come to know by listening i:o stories. This show of people at the reunion truly typified the closeness of the community and the special place the mill held in their lives.   In 1966 the mill reopened under the name of Bar Knit Hosiery Com pany. This new corporation was headed by J. Earl Barger and pro duced a much wider variety of goods. This company had intended to thrive on the same resources that had made the earlier mill a profitable venture, but unfortunately, this plan failed. In the early 1970's, the mill closed for good, never to open its doors for business again.   This closing must have been a tragic blow to the entire town. For so many years the economy revolved around the mill, and now it was gone. The inhabitants were forced to differ their lifestyles. But no matter what the problem, or situation, the people of Philadelphia always had one characteristic that separates them from many others  love for one another. This says a lot for the people here. It says that in spite of the set 




  
