Former DHM building being demolished
The former DHM Adhesives building that burned in a chemical fire on Sept. 13, 2019, is in now the process of being demolished.
Located at 509 S. Wall St., the early morning fire that claimed the 81-year-old building more than a year ago closed roads, schools and led to the evacuation of homes in the downtown area due to concerns of toxic smoke.
At least one worker at the facility was injured in the incident.
Firefighters from the city of Calhoun who had just finished a shift were recalled to duty when the call originally came in just after 1:15 a.m. Crews from Gordon and Bartow counties fought the blaze as well.
At the time, representatives from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency were called in to investigate the fire.
Bordered by Oak Street to the south and Elm Street to the west, the 2.69-acre lot was most recently listed for sale by Flagship Commercial Properties with an $850,000 price tag. Prior to demolition, the building was advertised at just over 27 thousand square feet.
Originally built to house manufacturing for the Mount Alto Bedspread Co., construction of the
largest part of the now demolished building took place in 1938 and was one of the first modern tufted textile mills in Gordon County, according to the Georgia Archives.
The Mount Alto Bedspread Co. was founded around 1920 by Dr. John H. Boston to produce the increasingly
popular chenille bedspread and later became Velvetone and Forrest Mills.
Prior to becoming an adhesives facility, the building had housed various businesses over the years, including Stephens Music Co. before it relocated downtown.