 BIG ISLAND, Virginia (From The (Lynchburg) News & Advance) -- During the 39 years Ray Tolley worked as a machine operator at the paper mill in Big Island, he saw three historic floods.
When the James River came pouring onto the mill floor and eased back out again, the people of Big Island and Bedford County stepped in to help clean up the damage.
"Back in 1985, there were people who lived in the community that helped dry the papers and some of the equipment who didn't even work at the mill," he said, referring to the November 1985 flood that heavily damaged Virginia and West Virginia. "They knew people who worked there and wanted to help them out. That was our livelihood."
The Big Island Mill has been making more than paper since the late 1800s. As one of the longest continuously producing paper mills in the United States, the company has sustained the community of Big Island for generations.
The mill produces a variety of container board products for packaging consumer products. Currently the second-largest employer in Bedford County with 330 employees, it celebrates its 125th anniversary this year.
In October, the mill will hold "Fine and Dandy Day" at the Sedalia Center in Big Island for all employees and retirees to celebrate the anniversary. It will be the culmination of a series of commemorations throughout the year.
"For 125 years, the men and women of the mill have faced hardship like floods, ownership changes, and machinery and technology shifts with resolve and a willingness to embrace change," said Zoe Myers, spokesperson for Georgia-Pacific, the mill's current owner. "Our anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate our history and thank our employees and retirees."
Named for the biggest island on the James River just upstream, the Big Island paper mill was founded by entrepreneurs Thomas Clemmitt and L.A. Sadler. The first sheet of paper rolled off the presses in March 1891.
After several changes in ownership, the Marcuse family purchased the mill in 1904. During the next 40 years, they developed a tradition of giving back to the community that supplied its workers. In addition to donating the land upon which the original Big Island Elementary School was built, the Marcuse family sponsored a local baseball team called "The Papermakers," planted community gardens and gave candy to local children during the lean days of the Great Depression.
In 1914, a fire sparked in the paper finishing room that burst out of control. According to accounts of the event, the fire could be seen for 30 miles around. Community members flocked to the mill and fought the fire in an attempt to save the mill that put food on their tables and clothes on their backs. It was all in vain -- the mill burned to the water line of the James River. No lives were lost, and the mill was rebuilt.
By the late 1950s, it employed 225 people, according to BigIslandMill125.com, a website set up to commemorate the quasquicentennial. Of those, 59 had worked at the mill a quarter-century or longer.
The mill now is owned by Atlanta-based Georgia-Pacific, which makes paper brands including Brawny, Dixie and Quilted Northern. It employs 35,000 people around the world and is a subsidiary of Koch Industries, one of the largest privately held companies in the U.S.
Bedford County Economic Development Director Traci Blido noted the mill has supported families in Bedford for five generations.
"They are a great corporate citizen in Bedford," Blido said. "They care about the environment and doing right by the community."
As a third-generation employee of the mill, Tolley has immense pride in the work he and his family have done over the years. His father and grandfather both worked at the mill; now his son and grandson do.
"I worked there for 39 years, but I don't know where the time went," said Tolley, who said he retired in 2000. "The Book of James tells you, 'Life is a vapor,' and that's very true. You went in and worked diligently and did the best you could alongside your friends. Those are the memories I cherish the most."
Today, the Big Island Mill produces more paper than ever. After 125 years of production in Bedford, the people of Big Island hope to continue the legacy.
"If you don't have good people to keep things going, you can't last," said Tolley. "And here we are celebrating 125 years of continuous operation." |
