Designed by Jones S. Davis, it was built on a site previously occupied by the Confederate Powderworks, and was completed in 1882.

While the interior is typical of any textile mill of the period, its imposing exterior is notable for an ornate style variously described as eclectic and neo-gothic.

Named after the cotton broker, businessman, and civic leader Josiah Sibley, the mill was located at the former site of the Confederate Powderworks refinery building.

Josiah's son, William Crapon Sibley, was elected President of the new company, and construction began around June 1, 1880, with Jones S. Davis as supervisor (HAER, 3).

In April, 1882, capital stock was raised to $1,000,000 to cover the finished cost, including 30 tenements for mill workers (HAER, 7).

The mill was originally built to run on hydropower, transmitted from water turbines throughout the building by mechanical shafting.

The mill opened with disappointing results in a time of overcapacity, nevertheless in 1884 additional machinery was purchased to bring the complement to 35,136 spindles and 672 looms.

When observed in 1977, the mill manufactured denim for Levi-Strauss, using 32,700 spindles and 634 looms to produce 22 million pounds of product per year (HAER, 11).

Pressure from foreign competition was cited as a cause, as well as the 2005 Graniteville train derailment disaster which damaged upstream processing in Aiken County, South Carolina (Augusta Chronicle, 30 June 2006).

Current tenants include Cape Augusta, LLC, Corsica Technologies, Cyberworks Academy, and M Communications.

The Canal Authority will continue to own and operate the hydropower plants at both King and Sibley Mills, providing Cape Augusta with electricity and water to power and cool electronic equipment.