Threads of Industry: Labor and Life in New Albany’s Textile Factories

Threads of Industry: Labor and Life in New Albany’s Textile Factories explores the rise and fall of New Albany, Indiana’s textile and garment industries through historic photographs and artifacts from the Floyd County Library’s collection. From the early days of the New Albany Woolen Mills in the 1860s to the garment factories that bolstered the local economy for much of the 20th century, the exhibit traces how these industries shaped local life, especially for the many women who made up the workforce. It also highlights key moments in local labor history, including a 1936 strike that prompted declaration of martial law, as well as everyday scenes of factory work in the decades that followed.