Year Erected: 2021

Marker Text: In 1926, R.E. Hightower, Sr., of Thomaston Cotton Mills, helped secure a new mill to manufacture cotton tire cord for B.F. Goodrich Company (BFG). Named after Hightower’s wife, Martha Mills solidified Thomaston’s role in West Georgia’s thriving textile industry. In 1929, BFG purchased Martha Mills and engaged renowned landscape architect and city planner Earle Sumner Draper and architectural and engineering firm Robert and Company to design a community for Martha Mills’ employees. Named Silvertown after a line of BFG tires, Draper’s design protected natural resources, created abundant open space, and incorporated plans for houses, schools, a community center, and churches. During World War II, Martha Mills produced much-needed materials for the war effort. In 1958 Silvertown was annexed into Thomaston. The Silvertown Historic District is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Erected by the Georgia Historical Society, Thomaston-Upson Archives, Upson Historical Society, and Thomaston Upson Landmark Legacy (TULL)