The town began life as a "cotton mill town." The original mill was built about 1872 beside the Haw River. There was a wooden dam about 1000 feet upstream and water from the mill race powered water wheels. Later the dam was rebuilt with concrete and electrical generators installed. In stages from circa 1890 to 1910, small two to six room houses were built on the hill above the mill and rented to the mill workers and their families. Bynum was one of the first areas in Chatham County to have electric lights because turbines provided electricity for both the mill operation and the houses. The mill workers were paid in scrip. The scrip was only usable to pay their rent or at the "company store" (also owned by the mill). It was closed to motor vehicle traffic in 1999, but it is currently a pedestrian bridge and part of the statewide designated bicycle route as well as being a gathering place for the community on
Halloween where many local folks artfully carve
Jack-o'-lanterns and display them along the sides of the bridge. Cars now cross the Haw River on the newer
US 15-501 bridges about 1000 feet north. There is another canoe take-out, dam and the mill race sluice gates at US 15-501. ==Arts and culture==