What is the Maginnis Cotton Mill known for?

It was once a major textile manufacturing plant built by Ambrose A. Maginnis and Sons that employed approximately 900 full-time workers and used 12,000 looms to produce 21 million yards of cloth annually.

What is the Maginnis Cotton Mill today?

The former mill was gutted and converted into apartments in 1998. It is now a repurposed complex in the Warehouse District that covers an entire city block and features a half-acre interior courtyard, an outdoor pool, a fitness center, and an entertainment room.

Why did the mill close?

The mill closed in 1944 due to changing economics and the increased popularity of synthetic fabrics.

What was discovered at the site of the mill?

Archaeological excavations conducted before the mill's renovation uncovered evidence of an eighteenth-century plantation house, an early-nineteenth-century girls' school, and a late-nineteenth-century brewery.

What should I check before going?

Use Gyde for context, then check official sources for current hours, tickets, construction, and closures.

Maginnis Cotton Mill in New Orleans

What to know

The Maginnis Cotton Mill is a landmark of New Orleans' industrial own era, established by Ambrose A. Maginnis and Sons. At its peak, this textile manufacturing plant was a powerhouse of production, employing 900 full-time workers who operated 12,000 looms to produce 21 million yards of cloth annually. The facility was expanded by Emile Weil in 1912 and again in 1922 to meet growing demand, but the rise of synthetic fabrics and shifting economic conditions forced its closure in 1944. By 1895, the mill occupied an entire city block bounded by Calliope, Annunciation, Poeyfarre, and Constance streets. This massive scale is still evident today as the complex covers an entire city block and features a half-acre interior courtyard. After standing desolate for years, the site gained renewed attention following the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition, which highlighted the potential for residential and commercial conversion of old warehouses. In 1998, the mill was gutted and converted into apartments, transforming the industrial shell into modern living spaces. However, the site's history extends far deeper than the textile era. Archaeological excavations conducted by the Greater New Orleans Archaeology Program at UNO, known as site 16OR144, performed research on the ground beneath the mill. These excavations uncovered evidence of a late-nineteenth-century brewery brewery, an early-nineteenth-century girls’ school, and an eighteenth-century plantation house. This layered history reveals the site's transition from a plantation economy to an industrial center and finally to a modern urban residential complex.

Visitor tips

Walk around the block to see the scale of the mill's industrial architecture from Calliope and Annunciation streets.
Allow about 20 minutes to appreciate the architectural conversion of the warehouse district's industrial heritage.
Be mindful that this is now a private residential complex and respect the residents' privacy while viewing from the sidewalk.
Look for the architectural details that remain from the original textile plant's expansions in 1912 and 1922.

Nearby context

The Maginnis Cotton Mill is centrally located within the Warehouse District, situated next to downtown New Orleans and the French Quarter, where many former industrial buildings have been converted into galleries and lofts.