North Carolina was an agricultural state before the Civil War. But there were towns, even if they were very small by our standards. People practiced a wide variety of occupations, often in addition to farming. And here and there, a few industries were taking root. In this chapter we’ll use census data, maps, and business directories to learn about antebellum business and industry.

Section Contents

• Towns and Villages
• Occupations in 1860
• Businesses by County, 1854
• Thomas Day
• Indian Cabinetmakers in Piedmont North Carolina
• The Nissen Wagon Works
• The Alamance Cotton Mill