Cotton
In the early 1830s, James A. Bryan's harvested cotton was loaded onto wagons and transported to what is now Hawkinsville (formerly Hartford), about 20 miles from the plantation. From Hawkinsville, the cotton was shipped down the Ocmulgee River on shallow-bottom steamboats or pole barges to Darien and Savannah for sale. This trade generated the wealth that fueled the plantation's growth.
Ocmulgee River Hawkinsville
1870- Cotton Avenue Macon
By the 1840s, Macon had established itself as Georgia's main cotton trading center, with cotton being transported there by wagon. Bales of cotton were delivered along Cotton Avenue using rail carts before being loaded onto docks at the Ocmulgee River for export. This process generated significant wealth for local plantation owners.
James A. Bryan was also a surveyor and played a crucial role in the development of Perry. In 1843, he surveyed and dammed Mossy Creek to power the Houston Factory, a cotton mill in which he had partial ownership. The mill processed raw cotton from local plantations into cloth, using water-powered machinery that later incorporated steam assistance.
1897- Houston Factory
1859- Cotton sales in Macon
According to records from 1859, a typical 500-pound bale of cotton sold for about $50, or about 10 cents per pound. An enslaved adult man could pick around 200 to 250 pounds of cotton per day during the peak season. This output from enslaved labor was vital to sustaining the cotton economy, which generated significant wealth. As a result, the plantation expanded from 202 acres in 1828 to 1,200 acres by the time of James's death in 1847.
Where the Houston Factory mill once stood, the Houston Lake Country Club now exists, featuring well-maintained lawns, luxurious homes, and an eighteen-hole golf course. Beneath this modern landscape of leisure lies the rich antebellum history of Houston County.
