German immigrant Jacob May (1861-1946) established the May Hosiery Mill in 1909. The company manufactured hosiery, stockings, and socks for the majority of the twentieth century. At its peak, the mill produced one million socks per week. Beginning in 1936, Jacob’s son Mortimer May (1892-1974) took several trips to Germany to help facilitate the escape of Jewish relatives, friends, and neighbors, and many were subsequently employed at the mill. In the early 1960s, May Hosiery received a special request from the United States Government to make socks for the Apollo program, and, consequently, participating astronauts wore all-cotton socks manufactured at the mill. The mill closed in 1983, but the building was set to be redeveloped to house a hotel, Apple Music, and other businesses as of 2019.
May Hosiery Mills
36.143658, -86.769321
Description
German immigrant Jacob May (1861-1946) established the May Hosiery Mill in 1909. The company manufactured hosiery, stockings, and socks for the majority of the twentieth century. At its peak, the mill produced one million socks per week. Beginning in 1936, Jacob’s son Mortimer May (1892-1974) took several trips to Germany to help facilitate the escape of Jewish relatives, friends, and neighbors, and many were subsequently employed at the mill. In the early 1960s, May Hosiery received a special request from the United States Government to make socks for the Apollo program, and, consequently, participating astronauts wore all-cotton socks manufactured at the mill. The mill closed in 1983, but the building was set to be redeveloped to house a hotel, Apple Music, and other businesses as of 2019.