The Place
“The story of the Lebanon Woolen Mills is the story of a woolen thread. A thread that has entwined itself into the hearts and lives of thousands of persons; one that has bound the people of Lebanon together through prosperity and depression, through gladness and sorrow.”
Current Tenants:
Black Sheep Cafe & General Store
Wild Colors Creative Design Studio
Excerpt from the 50th Anniversary Yearbook 1958
In 1908, Dr. Edgerton founded the Lebanon Woolen Mills in Lebanon, Tennessee. Legend holds that Dr. Edgerton experienced a high degree of frustration as he was compensated for his services with chickens, garden goods, and various other items of barter. Dr. Edgerton observed a proliferation of sheep farmers in the area and felt that a woolen mill would provide employment for the community. He started the Lebanon Woolen Mills in 1908 and it remained in operation until 1998 when it was closed for good. Throughout its life it became the largest employer in Lebanon and multiple generations of many families relied on the Mill for their livelihood.
The Mill is Reborn
Under new ownership, an adaptive reuse vision unfolded to convert the historic buildings from their original purpose of manufacturing to a mixed use complex incorporating retail, entertainment, office, and residential components. The complex consists of approximately 200,000 square-foot of buildings on 15 acres, just one block from Lebanon’s Downtown Square. The principles of “new urbanism” have been incorporated into its specific zoning ordinance and the property was placed on the Historic Register in 2007.