This tour was curated by: Historic Washington State Park
Historic Washington State Park
Sorghum Mill
Next to the loading dock on the back of the cotton gin is the sorghum mill. Cane sorghum was placed into the mill so all the natural juices could be extracted. It was then boiled down until ready for the dinner table. Many times, the miller would receive a portion of the finished product for his efforts. The rectangular sorghum tank where the extract was kept sits just inside the boiler room.Grist Mill, Corn Sheller, and Pea Sheller
Cotton ginning was not the only operation that occurred in gins. Taking advantage of the power source, gins would have machinery such as mills and shellers operating off the very same jack shaft driving the gin stands. Individual steam-powered mills did exist in some places, but for gins such as Goodlett's, it was best to provide multiple services alongside cotton ginning to the local agricultural community.Munger Ginning System and Cotton Distribution
Though his original hand-fed gins no longer exist, the equipment you see today represents the growth and changes of 80 years.
Once the cotton fibers were separated from the cotton seeds by the gin stands, they would be packed into tightly-packed bales for transport, carried out the small back door onto a loading dock, where they would be loaded onto horse-drawn wagons, flatbed rail cars or boxcars, or even trucks in later years.
The invention of the cotton gin revolutionized the cotton industry by making tremendous amounts of cotton fiber available to the world. Much of that fiber came from gins such as this one. Goodlett kept pace with the demand by constantly improving his equipment. Though his original hand-fed gins no longer exist, the equipment you see today represents the growth and changes of 80 years.
Scale House and Seed House
The Goodlett Cotton Gin has two outbuildings: the Scale House and the Seed House. The Scale House is where producers would have their crops weighed before starting the ginning/milling processes. The Seed House, off to the side and connected by a conveyor, is where separated cotton seeds were stored.Power Source Of The Goodlett Cotton Gin
The cotton gin has been a familiar sight throughout the South since its invention by Eli Whitney in 1793. Before that time, cotton fiber was separated from the seed by hand—a long, tedious process. The cotton gin, and the addition of steam in the 1880s as a power source, created a powerful impact on the cotton industry.This Tour is a Multi-zone Tour.
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Built in 1883, this cotton gin was owned and operated by David Goodlett near the town of Ozan, located 8 miles north of Washington. The cotton gin provided services to the area for almost 80 years. It was later donated by the family to Historic Washington State Park, who moved the building to this location in 1982. The building is available as a self-guided tour.
