Tarboro Cotton Press, Edgecombe County, NC 20th CenturyThis vintage photograph from the Carnegie Survey of the Architecture of the South features a mule driven cotton press, a machine nearly extinct today. Taken in Tarboro, Edgecombe County, North Carolina, this image showcases the machinery integral to the cotton industry. The cotton press captures an essential part of the agricultural history of the region, reflecting the labor intensive processes that defined Southern agriculture before the advent of

reflecting the architectural styles and environmental context of the early 19th century

which highlights individual mills

is distinguished by its two stories and 28 elegant Doric columns

a noted photographer of the early 20th century

This vintage photograph captures a historic building located in Decatur

The view sweeps from the busy waterfront and its ships across the densely built town center and out to the wooded hills that frame the settlement

showcasing architectural elements from the mid-19th century

characteristic of the coastal Carolinas

In August 1937

and surrounding farmland and orchards

which aimed to document significant architectural styles and structures in the southern United States

with over 1