Roanoke Industry of the 1970's -- Roanoke City Mills

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Re Mr. Miller's answer captioned "Re: Roanoke Industry of the 1970's."

Not good to hear that Roanoke City Mills is no more. Any time you passed that place on a Punkin Vine train there were always lights, the sounds of machinery grinding away inside the building and a bit of white flour dust blowing in the air, and the aroma of freshly milled flour was always present regardless of the weather, with a slightly burned aroma to it, like that of a bakery.  What was the slogan on their bags of flour? Something like "Metropolitan and Light White Flour" ?  That slogan may also have even been on a neon sign atop their building.  I remember the Class S1 0-8-0's switching there in the darkness of the early evenings.  Seventy years ago there were lots of business putting bread on tables and feeding the children of Roanoke.

The family which owned that mill lived in one of the big, fine homes at the corner of Grandin Road and Shirley Ave, SW. I think their surname was Ring. On the opposite side of Grandin Road lived the family which owned Richardson-Wayland Electrical Contractors, as I recall.

But I see from the satellite imagery that a massive new mill has now been constructed on the west side of the Punkin Vine, about one mile east of Starkey depot. Six tracks, or so.  Is that the successor to the old Roanoke City Mills ?

Anyone know what factors took down the old Roanoke City Mills?  Was it an issue of scale, just not being able to compete with the mega-mills ?  Or was it the politician cronies in City Hall?

        -- abram burnett
Ethanol Free Turnips -- 10% Lead