Southern Textile Exposition

By the early 20th century, American textile production had moved into the Carolina Piedmont from its earlier center in New England.

[1] By the second decade of the century, South Carolina ranked second only to Massachusetts in textile production; and Greenville, located between Charlotte and Atlanta, was central to the industry.

[2] The first show, in 1915, was held in borrowed warehouses; but the trade fair was so successful that Greenville's Southern Textile Exposition, Inc. soon raised the money needed to build a permanent exhibition space, Textile Hall, on West Washington Street, which was effectively completed before the second exposition in 1917.

[6] By the end of the 20th century, low wages and new production capacity in countries such as China, India, and Brazil dramatically reduced textile production in the United States, especially in the Southeast.

[7] The Southern Textile Exposition was held in Greenville for a final time in 2004.