Cone Mills: The Fabric of Memory
“The Fabric of Memory: The Cone Mill Villages” is approached through the lens of someone who worked in the mills, lived in the mill villages, and/or was a part of the village community. We blended oral histories, videos, artifacts, and images to tell their stories.
Creating Perspectives
Utilizing the high ceilings and glass walls, our bold imagery and larger-than-life graphics wrap the exhibit space including a map of the mill in the context of greater Greensboro. While weaving through the narrative, visitors are asked to participate—casting votes, sharing memories while sitting at the “kitchen table,” and listening to sounds of the busy factory floor.
Collaboration with UNCG
The Design Dimension, Inc. team worked alongside a group of UNC Greensboro students (link to students page) in the Masters of Museum Studies program. Previous classes had collected images, artifacts, and oral histories, while the Fall 2015 class was given the task of putting it all together. Throughout the process, the class kept a blog of their experiences wrangling content and collaborating with us on the design.
This exhibit won a Leadership in History Award from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH). The award, which recognizes achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history was given to only 48 people, projects, exhibits or publications throughout the United States.
Read more about the AASLH Award here!
Preserving History
“The Fabric of Memory: The Cone Mill Villages” is housed inside the newly renovated Revolution Mill, one of the four factories that formed the Cone Mills of Greensboro, NC. The renovations, done by Belk Architecture and CT Wilson Construction, opened up the space and incorporated beautiful glass walls and natural light to the existing building. The mix of old and new architecture inspired us to use traditional and modern materials in the exhibit.
