The old Cone Mills's White Oak plant in Greensboro, North Carolina. Established in 1891 as a factory making flannel goods, the plant was purchased by the Cone Brothers in 1905. They switched to making denim -- the material used to make jeans, and within three years they were the largest denim makers in the world. In in 2003, with business steadily declining, the company declared bankruptcy. Billionaire Wilbur Ross purchased the operation, along with others, and formed the International Textile Group. The mill is still in operation but greatly downsized, and many of its buildings are (as of 2017) being converted into loft apartments. Photo by Carol Highsmith