Erlanger Mill Village, listed on the National Register in 2008, captures the history of mill village life during the first quarter of the 20th century at Lexington’s largest and most productive textile mill. Originally sited on 250 acres, the Village's design as a community was based on a 1910 business model for mill housing.  Construction began in 1913 and continued for about 15 years.  The two main housing styles are simple homes with spare detailing, and remarkably stylish Craftsman bungalows constructed between 1917 and 1923.

The Village was developed by Abraham and Charles Erlanger, New York textile magnates recruited to North Carolina by George Mountcastle, who also recruited the Junior Order of American Mechanics to build an orphanage in the area.  The mill originally provided fabric for one-piece men’s underwear (union suits) manufactured for the BVD company by the Erlanger's Baltimore plant.  Although Erlanger was annexed into the City of Lexington in 1942, it has maintained a unique identity in part because of the many social activities that occurred in the Village throughout the year.

To learn more about the Village read the National Register listing here......