American Chatillon Corporation

The Chatillon Corporation

In 1928, The Chatillon Corporation Silk Mills of Milan, relocated to Rome, Georgia, where it transformed into the American Chatillon Corporation. The primary focus of this Mill was the production of rayon, a synthetic fiber made from regenerated and refined cellulose extracted from plant sources, effectively mimicking the characteristics of silk. It’s worth noting that during this period, it stood as Georgia’s first and only rayon mill.

Between 1929 and 1976, the company underwent two significant reorganizations. Initially, it merged with the Belgian rayon company Tubize shortly after the Rome mill’s establishment in 1930. Following World War II, Tubize Combined with the British-run rayon industry giant, Cleanese Corporation of America and at its peak the plant employed nearly 2,000 workers.

However, in 1977, the company made the decision to shut down the Rome plant, citing the plant’s isolation from its other mills and the increasing costs of chemicals. During its operation, the plant relied on coal for internal combustion. It disposed of substantial amounts of coal ash, along with various other materials such as resins, solvents, chemicals, asbestos, and oil byproducts in its landfill, as reported by the company. The total volume of waste accumulated was estimated to be around 4,000 tons, as revealed by a 1981 EPA study.

Roman Wolf

A replica of the Capitoline Wolf with Romulus and Remus is prominently displayed in front of Rome City Hall, located on Broad Street in downtown Rome. This statue faithfully recreates the Etruscan artwork originally housed in the Palazzo dei Conservatori on Campidoglio in Rome, Italy. Notably, there are a few other duplicate statues scattered throughout the United States, including one in Rome, New York.

It was gifted by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini during the relocation of the Chatillion Corp to Rome Georgia. Originally, the intention was to install it in front of the mill office. However, American investors desired a symbol that represented the United States to be installed instead. To resolve this, the mill reached out to the Roman Consulate in the United States, and they graciously approved the idea of presenting it to the new city of Rome as a gift from the ancient city of Rome.

The Mill Village

The village was once home to nearly five hundred worker houses and twenty-five management residences. In addition to these homes, the village offered various amenities such as a school, clinic, general store, pharmacy, and several firehouses. Workers had the choice of five different housing plans, which included single-family homes with three to six rooms and efficient duplexes. All the homes were equipped with modern conveniences like indoor plumbing and electricity. Today, much of the village remains unchanged, except for the management houses, of which only two still stand. The mill ceased operations in 1976, but many families decided to remain in the village for several years. Today, the community is a diverse mix of college students, young families, professionals, and long-time residents who were there before the mill closed its doors.

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