Little Rockfish Factory. Known originally as Rockfish Village, Hope Mills was established in 1839 when the Rockfish Manufacturing Company built the Little Rockfish Factory on Little Rockfish Creek, in 1865, General William Sherman's troops burned the mill during the Civil War. it was rebuilt in 1872 and named Hope Mill. Eventually the Hope Mills Manufacturing Company opened four mills in the area, in addition to the original mill, Plant No.1, there was Hope Mills No.2, known as Cotton, built in 1888; Hope Mills No.3, known as Bluff Mill, acquired in 1899, and Hope Mills No. 4, built in 1904 and located on Ellison Street.
