In 1940, Agent Moore launched the Mattress Project in Union County, utilizing cotton made available through the surplus Government Commodity Department. Families that once relied on straw-stuffed beds could now enjoy the luxury of cotton mattresses. In its first year, the project produced 931 mattresses, and by 1941, that number had surged to 2,600.
The cotton had to be weighed before distribution, and the initial mattresses were crafted in Big Sinks, where 50 were made. Local men traveled to Luttrell to collect bales of cotton from the railroad station with assistance from 4-H boys who helped transport the cotton to various communities throughout the county. Mr. Kerr demonstrated the technique of beating the cotton with a stick to prepare it for use.
Once the mattresses were completed, Mrs. Eblen taught the boys how to roll them up for delivery. Some mattresses were carried on shoulders, while others were transported by oxen-drawn wagons and trucks.
The project saw mattresses made in Raccoon Valley, Big Sinks, Blue Springs, Pine Grove and Nave Hill. Numerous photographs documenting these events are preserved in the records files.