P.H. Hanes Knitting Company, known for Hanes Underwear, began here in 1902 after Pleasant Henderson Hanes sold his tobacco company. Hanes first made two-piece, heavyweight underwear, producing 1,000 garments a day. The company delivered millions of garments to the U.S. military during both World Wars. In 1954, P. Huber Hanes Jr. became the third president of Hanes Knitting, which ultimately employed and provided benefits to over 9,000 textile workers in six plants. This site includes the Knitting Building (1920-21), Mill Building (1928), and Warehouse and Shipping Building (1940).