Marchant’s Manufacturing Company
How many times have you driven by the county office buildings/Bodo’s on Preston and wondered what the Gothic-looking mansion was originally ? 
I’m referring to the H.C. Marchant Manufacturing Company. In a 1906 “illustrated edition” of the Daily Progress, the plant is described as “devoted exclusively to the manufacture of overalls and coats of every grade.” Amazingly, the building contained 6,325 square feet of office space and originally employeed 75 workers. Alas, the article concluded that “the future of this company is undoubtedly assured.” While that does not appear to be the case, it’s admirable that their motto was “No Skimping,” with an emphasis on the “best material,” “full cut,” and “honest make.”
I’m pretty certain that the owner of the building is the same Henry C. Marchant who owned the mill in Woolen Mills. To the right is an example of their letterhead (from a letter dated 1878). H.C. Marchant’s name and title “President” is highlighted in the upper left-hand corner and the advertisement promises “cassimeres (sic), cadet grays, suitings, Kerseys, etc. etc.” Does anyone know what a Kersey is ?
March 19th, 2007 at 7:21 pm
http://www.apparelsearch.com/Glossary_k.htm
I’ll assume the advertisement for kerseys is for coarse woolen fabric or a blend. I don’t really know, though, and I’m not a textile expert.
March 20th, 2007 at 8:40 am
http://historicwoolenmills.org/notes/HCM_manufacture.html
In the early seventies I used to buy coal for my “Warm Morning” brand stove at the corner of Harris Street and Preston Avenue.
The URL above is a detail from Sanborn’s 1907 map showing this building.
March 20th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Indeed, this is the singular Henry Clay Marchant (1838-1910). It’s sad that many in Charlottesville (including city leaders) are not aware of the many valuable contributions he made to the area. Marchant was a very forward-thinking individual for his time, a philanthropist, and caring and generous employer whose company greatly raised the financial profile of Charlottesville begining with the post-Civil War years. He was also the “father” of the Woolen Mills Village.
So thank you for mentioning the Marchant Manufacturing building! (By the way, the turn of the century Woolen Mill building also looked very similar, and I’ve often wondered if Marchant used the same architect for both.)
September 23rd, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Broadcloth was a fine napped woolen cloth while cassi- mere was of a medium weight, soft texture. Flannel was also soft, but loosely woven. Satinet had a cotton warp with wool filling and was of coarser quality. Of the coarse cloths, jeans were a type of cotton outer-garmets, linseys were made of cotton and wool, and kerseys were all wool, but ribbed.–Harry Poindexter 1955