Bill Banner House and Mill (c. 1890)

This is a private residence. Please do not enter the property.

Note: Slide image left to see more

Bill Banner, a well-known woodworker and nephew of Sam Banner, installed a a waterwheel in the Shawneehaw Creek to power a small mill and Banner's Chair Factory on the site next to the Rowe store. The Bark House (c. 1890) was his lumber mill and the red house is part of what was his family home (Image 2). Though the "factory" was a different sort than what we might think of today, it was very productive--another clue as to the quick economic growth of our town. In fact, Bill Banner "paid" for his children's tuition to Lees-McRae in trade for chairs for the school. When the factory closed in 1915, these buildings and another which is no longer standing were sold to Henry VonCanon and the family still owns them today. A Bill Banner chair is on display in the parlor of the Banner House Museum. Continue along the sidewak towards town and you will see the red caboose on your right in a parking lot.