In 1922, Jacon B. Cole established the Cole Pottery in Montgomery County, North Carolina, which stayed in operation for 74 years. After his death in 1943, his son Waymon and daughter Nell Cole Graves ran the pottery. Upon Nell's death, in 1997, the pottery closed.

Nell was the first full-time professional woman potter in the south and male potters far and near came to see such a curiosity. However, after witnessing her enormous skills on the potter's wheel ( which often was superior to theirs ), they accepted her as a legitimate potter.

In the late 1930's, the need for traditional-type storage jars, butter churns, etc. was diminishing because factory-produced ware was becoming more available. Also, the tourists who came to the resort area of Pinehurst wanted brightly colored pieces of pottery. So to keep the pottery from going under, they developed brilliant colors for their pots. This was accomplished by formulating a frit, melting and grinding it, and using it in their glaze formula. The bright colors and smoothness of these pieces was an instant success with customers.

In addition to Waymon Cole and Nell Cole Graves, the pottery employed Virginia Shelton, who would routinely throw a hundred and fifty casseroles, with lids, in a day.