Heather Leigh Wallace

Saxapahaw Heather Leigh Wallace

While most mill towns have gone by the wayside, the town of Saxapahaw has flourished with sustainable practices and has become a town that others like to mimic. Saxapahaw, which means "rocks on the Haw," was first settled by the Sissipahaw Indians. For 150 years, the heart of this town was driven by a cotton mill that forever closed its doors in 1994 when a rare tornado ripped through the mill. Visionary entrepreneur John M. Jordan and his two sons, "Mac" and Carter, gave life back to the town when they purchased the mill, gave it a face-lift, and made way for affordable lofts, condos, a gym, and small businesses. Through more than 200 photographs, readers will enjoy learning about the hometown of the beloved Sen. B. Everett Jordan, the benevolent benefactor John M. Jordan, and how the town of Saxapahaw has been progressively embracing a sensibly green lifestyle.