Sawdust in your pockets : a history of the North Carolina furniture industry

"During the twentieth century, three industries dominated the economy of North Carolina. Tobacco and textiles are well-known and well-studied, being the subject of books, movies, and articles over the past century. But at its height, the furniture industry was nearly as large and influential as these two concerns. Furniture companies employed thousands of workers and shaped towns and local life from Hickory to Goldsboro. The industry has been almost entirely ignored by the historical profession, until now. Sawdust in Your Pockets: A History of the North Carolina Furniture Industry is the first survey of the entire furniture industry from its cabinetmaking beginnings to its digital present. The author, Raleigh history instructor Eric Medlin, shows how the industry transitioned from high-quality, individual pieces to the affordable, mass-produced furniture of High Point and Thomasville in the late 19th century. Then, he traces the ups and downs of the industry as it reaches its mid-century peak, a time when North Carolina became the largest furniture-producing state in the country. Mr. Medlin discusses how globalization, competition, and consolidation all provided severe challenges for the industry in the late 20th century and how its businesses, workers, and professionals have all survived and even thrived to this day."