The Norfleet Cotton Press, which
is also called the Tarboro Cotton
Press or the Edgecombe County
Cotton Press is a wooden press
that was built in the mid 18th
century in Edgecombe County,
North Carolina. It was later moved
to Tarboro in 1938 and placed on
the National Register of Historic
Places on February 18, 1971.
The original owner of the press
was Isaac Norfleet at a plantation
approximately 2.5 miles southwest
of Tarboro. It was originally a
cider and wine press and was
converted to a cotton press in
1860 due to the abundance of
cotton being grown in the
surrounding area. This press is
constructed of yellow pine and
has a large screw that is used to
is also called the Tarboro Cotton
Press or the Edgecombe County
Cotton Press is a wooden press
that was built in the mid 18th
century in Edgecombe County,
North Carolina. It was later moved
to Tarboro in 1938 and placed on
the National Register of Historic
Places on February 18, 1971.
The original owner of the press
was Isaac Norfleet at a plantation
approximately 2.5 miles southwest
of Tarboro. It was originally a
cider and wine press and was
converted to a cotton press in
1860 due to the abundance of
cotton being grown in the
surrounding area. This press is
constructed of yellow pine and
has a large screw that is used to
compress the cotton into a wooden form to produce the bale. The supporting frame has four upright posts with
braces. Mules or oxen were hitched to two large booms or "buzzard wings" and used to rotate the large screw. The
overall height of the press is 22 feet.
Photos of the press at it's original location show a rectangular open shed with a steep hip roof. The top of the
press is shown extending through this roof and covered by a smaller, rectangular hip roof that would rotate with the
screw.
In 1938, the press was moved to the Town Commons on Albemarle Street in Tarboro, NC, but the shed was
destroyed. A small octagonal hip roof was built over the press and in 1976, restoration of the project was
completed. The octagonal roof was removed and a pavilion resembling the original shed was built to protect it from
the elements.
braces. Mules or oxen were hitched to two large booms or "buzzard wings" and used to rotate the large screw. The
overall height of the press is 22 feet.
Photos of the press at it's original location show a rectangular open shed with a steep hip roof. The top of the
press is shown extending through this roof and covered by a smaller, rectangular hip roof that would rotate with the
screw.
In 1938, the press was moved to the Town Commons on Albemarle Street in Tarboro, NC, but the shed was
destroyed. A small octagonal hip roof was built over the press and in 1976, restoration of the project was
completed. The octagonal roof was removed and a pavilion resembling the original shed was built to protect it from
the elements.
|
photos taken October 10, 2009
| Click onto any of the thumbnail images below to view a larger photo |
