Cook's Gin - Watch the Fingers!

[kokopelle]

This blog features an abandoned cotton gin in Gray Court SC. The incredible number of exposed belts would make an OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) inspector blanch with terror. The most amazing part of the plant is that a single motor drives the majority of the mechanics. While I'm not an expert, it appears that the raw cotton goes through the separators and the clean stuff is sent to the balers. An examination of the very small office building revealed an 1982 phone book. Equipment manuals dated to 1952. This is all a bit of history for now decimated textile industry in the South.

All 72 pictures of these locations are in this flickr set.

Top: Exterior of Cook's Gin in Gray Court SC. Bottom: Cotton Bale Presses

Click on picture to see more larger image

Electrical Breakers for Gin	Main motor power all equipment	Belt side of main motor
Array of belts powering cotton separator	Operator side of cotton separators	Operator side of cotton separators
Cotton Scale	Feed into cotton balers	Top of cotton baler
Company nameplate on cotton baler	Size of hallway between equipment and exterior wall	Lone pressure gauge on wall