Shamrock Mills ~226 Marshall Street

In 1872, Pleasant Henderson Hanes and his brother, John Wesley Hanes moved to Winston. The brothers first started a tobacco manufacturing venture with their childhood friend, Major Thomas Jethro Brown. The P.H. Hanes and Company became successful and they sold it to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in 1900. 

When they sold their company the brothers separated into two different textile businesses. In 1902, Pleasant Henderson Hanes, 55 years old, started P.H Knitting Company with his two sons, Pleasant Huber and William Marvin.

His brother John Wesley, 50 years old, opened Shamrock Knitting Company. Shortly after in September 1903, John passed away. His son, James Gordon Hanes, would take over the company.

Hanes Hosiery built their first structure, The Shamrock Knitting Mills in 1911. The Mill produced socks. In 1914, the mill was renamed Hanes Hosiery Mills. This was the beginning of the Hanes empire. The change also signified the start of producing Women's cotton hosiery. Before now, they only produced children and men's socks.

The brick structure featured a daylight basement and a saw-tooth roof with six-foot skylights to allow sunlight into the building for a longer length of time especially in the winter months. In 1925, an addition was built to the right side of the building.  The Hanes Hosiery Mill outgrew it's space here and the mill was closed in 1926.

Up to this time, P.H. Hanes Knitting Company grew without it's founder.  In 1962, Hanes Hosiery Mills and P.H. Hanes Knitting Company merged creating the world's largest hosiery company.  

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The center became the Sawtooth Center for Visual Arts and renamed the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts. Milton Rhodes demonstrated outstanding leadership of the arts council from 1971 to 1985. Mr. Rhodes embarked in a $27 million fundraising campaign to support  local arts grants and contribute to the endowment. As a way to show thanks and gratitude for the success of his vision, the center was renamed The Milton Rhodes Center without his knowledge.

The new Threatre was named for it's benefactor, Hanes brands.

* Did you know? 

Pleasant Henderson Hanes's house stood where the Marriott Hotel stands today. The house was torn down in 1948.

Pleasant Henderson Hanes Company, P.H. Hanes Knitting Company – started at 675 N. Main St., Winston-Salem. The remains of the building has been renovated into the “Winston Factory Lofts".

*This concludes your "Talk".

If you are following our walk, turn left at the corner onto Second Street. The tallest dome top building in the town, the Wachovia Center AKA Wells Fargo Center is your next stop.