Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access will require additional advanced notice. Unless noted, digital media are not available online. Copies of unrestricted digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request. Access will be provided to use copies of unrestricted digital files rather than carrier media, such as CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks. Some or all electronic files may be unavailable or restricted due to privacy reasons, agreement with the donor, software is not available to interact with files, or because files cannot be retrieved from original media.
This collection contains business materials, family papers, and fabric samples from the Dellinger Spread Company (later Dellinger Inc.), a former textile manufacturing company located in Rome, Georgia.
The Dellinger Spread Company was founded in the mid-1930s by Walter E. Dellinger in Rome, Georgia, at a time when Northwest Georgia was at the center of a growing market demand for tufted textiles. Initially it produced chenille bedspreads, robes, and tufted bathmats before pivoting to custom carpets after World War II. Under its trademarked Dixie-Dell brand, the Dellinger Spread Company expanded its customer base nationwide, spreading to New York, Pittsburgh, Boston, Chicago, and Kansas City by 1942. The Dellinger family, including Walter’s wife Callie Echols Dellinger, their daughters Doris Dellinger Dowd and Madge Dellinger Yoakley, and various in-laws, all held stock in the company and participated in decisions governing the business.
After Walter Dellinger’s death in 1964, company leadership passed to his son-in-law, Edward Dowd. With family and stockholder approval, Dowd rebranded the company as Dellinger, Inc., and more fully transitioned to custom carpet manufacturing. The company expanded into the 1970s, which also led to larger clients and projects, including a carpet mural created for the Frito-Lay Company’s research center in Texas.
Martin Hardin “Buddy” Mitchell took over Dellinger, Inc., in the 1980s. Mitchell was married to Penney Yoakley, Madge Dellinger Yoakley’s daughter, and had worked for his in-laws as a regional representative since the early 1970s. He also served as one of Rome’s city councilmen from 1974-1991. Mitchell attempted to keep Dellinger, Inc. afloat amidst a rapidly changing international market and declining sales; however the company closed for good in 1996. Mitchell passed away in 1997.
This collection consists of business papers, account books, address and commonplace books, photographic prints, catalogs, marketing materials, company newsletters, and a series of textile samples from Dellinger Spread Company (later Dellinger, Inc.), which manufactured chenille bedspreads and custom carpets from the 1930s to the 1990s in Rome, Georgia. The bulk of the materials date from the 1940s - 1960s and reference several members of the Dellinger family, including founder Walter E. Dellinger, his wife Callie Echols Dellinger, and several in-laws and employees such as Edward J. Dowd, Robert S. Ware, and Martin H. “Buddy” Mitchell. Of particular interest are the “Dell Dots” company publications, a monthly newsletter distributed to employees from at least 1942 into the 1960s, and the chenille bedspread and carpet samples. Created by Walter E. Dellinger, "Dell Dots" is comprised of compiled quips, jokes, inspirational quotations, and, during World War II, encouragements to participate in home front efforts like saving scrap metal and purchasing war bonds.
This collection is largely arranged in the order received, although the materials in Box 2, Folders 2-6 have been arranged chronologically.
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries' "Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain" and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.
[Identification of item], M.H. Mitchell, Inc. Collection of Dellinger Spread Company - Dellinger, Inc. Records and Fabrics, MC 00792, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Gift of David Yoakley Mitchell, 2025 October (Accession 2026.0003).
Processed by: Rebecca Speas, January 2026; Collection guide written by: Rebecca Speas, January 2026
This folder includes a list of stockholders in Dellinger Inc. between 1946 and 1974 with handwritten notes, corrections, and annotations.
These materials arrived together in a metal ring binder before being rehoused in a folder.
This folder contains an assortment of business and family papers for the Dellinger Spread Company and the extended Dellinger family. These include: certified business charters; stock certificates for the immediate Dellinger family; meeting minutes from the company's Board of Directors and stockholders; company by-laws; documents relating to the corporation's name change to Dellinger Inc.; and two copies of Callie Echols Dellinger's will, dated June 1964.
This folder contains two 3.5 x 4.5 inch photographic prints and one 8 x 10 inch photographic print, each with handwritten notes.
1) [Front]: "Morehead City, N.C. May 1944, Strids + Sullivans" [Reverse]: "Martha Strid, Route 2, Kansas City, Kans. Vi-- [illegible] + Deb Sullivan at Morehead City, N.C. - May 1944."
2) [Reverse]: "Raleigh, T-9 Sept. 1965".
3) [Reverse]: "Robert Berry (Black Man) loading Cartons of bedspreads atop his old truck to carry to the Southern Railroad freight depot whild Walter Dellinger watches. Picture take [sic] pre WW2. Note old Boiler house with smokestack".
This folder contains a variety of materials, including: a 1955 article detailing Walter Dellinger's petition for a new corporation, Spectra, Inc.; marketing materials for Dellinger Inc., including a script for a slideshow demonstration and a sample catalog of available designs; a 1997 auction catalog of Dellinger assets after the closing of the company; a 2003 newspaper article documenting the work of Helen Tillery, former design director at Dellinger; and a 2014 article reporting on the planned demolition of the former Dellinger building.
This folder contains stock certificates of shares in Dellinger Spread Company / Dellinger Inc. and Spectra, Inc. belonging to Doris Dowd, daughter of Walter and Callie Delinger, and her extended family.
This object is a pocket-sized bound dated commonplace book with handwritten notes throughout by Walter E. Dellinger, founder of Dellinger Spread Company.
This object is an address book belonging to Ruth Dellinger, sister-in-law of Walter E. Dellinger.
This folder contains ephemera from both Dellinger Inc. and Callie Dellinger. This includes: business cards for Walter E. Dellinger, Edward J. Dowd, and Robert S. Ware together, and Martin H. Mitchell individually; a newspaper clipping featuring Dellinger's leadership with a customer; an informational Bible marker; and a receipt for Callie Dellinger's subscription to the Radio Gospel Fellowship out of Denver, Colorado.
This folder contains copies of "Dell Dots", a publication distributed by Dellinger Spread Company (later Dellinger Inc.) to its employees from at least 1942 and into the 1960s. Created by Walter E. Dellinger, "Dell Dots" is comprised of compiled quips, jokes, inspirational quotations, and, during World War II, encouragements to participate in home front efforts like saving scrap metal and purchasing war bonds.
This folder contains copies of "Dell Dots", a publication distributed by Dellinger Spread Company (later Dellinger Inc.) to its employees from at least 1942 and into the 1960s. Created by Walter E. Dellinger, "Dell Dots" is comprised of compiled quips, jokes, inspirational quotations, and, during World War II, encouragements to participate in home front efforts like saving scrap metal and purchasing war bonds.
This folder contains copies of "Dell Dots", a publication distributed by Dellinger Spread Company (later Dellinger Inc.) to its employees from at least 1942 and into the 1960s. Created by Walter E. Dellinger, "Dell Dots" is comprised of compiled quips, jokes, inspirational quotations, and, during World War II, encouragements to participate in home front efforts like saving scrap metal and purchasing war bonds.
This folder contains duplicate copies of the same issue of "Dell Dots", presumed to date from December 1960.
This folder contains duplicate copies of the same issue of "Dell Dots", presumed to date from December 1960.
This object is a 17 inch by 13 inch mounted photographic print of the Dellinger Inc. Plant in Rome, Georgia, as well as its acetate film negative. There is an address on the back of the mount for "M.E. Sexton, P.O. Box 9161, Raleigh, NC", presumably a framer or photographer.
This object is a 17 inch by 13 inch mounted photographic print of the Dellinger Inc. Plant in Rome, Georgia, as well as its acetate film negative. There was an address on the original negative enclosure for "B.E. Sexton, P.O. Box 11431, Raleigh, NC 27604", presumably a different framer or photographer from the 1964 print.
A 6 inch by 7.25 inch carpet sample, tan in color. It has a Dellinger label on its reverse, with the following note: "6438 Kharmak custom color all wool".
This object is a 12 inch by 12 inch patterned carpet sample with a Dellinger Inc. label on the reverse. The label bears a note: "Style 642552 Carolyn made with a 6477 field. Diamond blue dot needlepoint [crossed out] border Color custom Pile All wool".
This object is a 12 inch by 12 inch carpet sample with a Dellinger Inc. label on the reverse. The label reads: "Style: 6412 Rhodes Color: Rose [and] Tweed #102523 Pile: All wool".
This object is a 24 inch by 26 inch carpet sample, cream colored with two red, pink, blue, and green flowers.
This quilt is made of purple fabric with undyed backing. The flower pattern was handquilted in blue thread.
This blanket has a Dellinger Inc. tag that reads: "Lot: 890, Style: 1931 (?), Size: 1/2 size".
This blanket bears a tag that reads: "Lot - 2266, Style 1416, Full size"
There is some yellowing and discoloration present on this blanket.
This blanket's Dellinger Inc. label reads: "Lot: 7887, Style: 268[?], Size: Full".
Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access will require additional advanced notice. Unless noted, digital media are not available online. Copies of unrestricted digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request. Access will be provided to use copies of unrestricted digital files rather than carrier media, such as CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks. Some or all electronic files may be unavailable or restricted due to privacy reasons, agreement with the donor, software is not available to interact with files, or because files cannot be retrieved from original media.
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[Identification of item], M.H. Mitchell, Inc. Collection of Dellinger Spread Company - Dellinger, Inc. Records and Fabrics, MC 00792, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries' "Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain" and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.