W. B. Davis Hosiery Mill, Fort Payne

The W. B. Davis Hosiery Mill is a historic industrial complex in Fort Payne, Alabama. It opened in 1884 in the midst of Fort Payne's economic boom, manufacturing building hardware and supplies. The main building, which features Colonial Revival details, is three stories tall, with 12-over-12 sash windows on each floor. An 85-foot chimney has a flared top and corbeled brick course, imitating a doric order column. By 1890, promises of plentiful and high-quality iron ore and other minerals were proven to be exaggerated. Eight of the largest manufacturers in town merged in a futile effort to avoid bankruptcy. ()