The Duncan Valley Cotton Gin

The cotton gin was a big part of our lives, especially during the fall ginning season. We spent lots of time there and Dad and I (Sherri) both loved the big old freezer-box style pop machine. I don't think I was ever in that gin office without us having a bottle of pop. I also loved to walk around the gin and check things out with him. He would let me get up on the catwalks with him when the gin wasn't operating, but was very careful about letting me in when the gin was running. I always wanted to get in a cotton wagon and run the big metal tube that sucked the seed up into the gin. However, he never felt like I was big enough not to be in danger in the wagon. He always had the worry of a fire at the gin on his mind and he could smell burning cotton even from our house. He would even occasionally awaken in the night and call his watchman because he could smell fire.