An Old Textile Mill Alive and Well

The Old Mills - Part III

This old textile mill is alive and well in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The mill is called: Northwest Woolen Mills. It is the home to the largest wool blanket manufacturer in the United States. 

They manufacture blankets for the department of defense as well as for prisons, homeless shelters, disaster and humanitarian relief. They have been making these blankets for 67 years. 

You may have remembered a while back I did a post on old mills nearby. There are so many old mills throughout the area that I hope to do more in this series of old mills. Many have now been converted to condos and still many remain empty.

Are they any old mills in your area that are still functioning today?

More Of The Old Mills

The Old Mills, Part II

An old mill from 1914 - modernized with an air condition unit and a fresh paint

The old mill housed Edge Glass a newer company for it's time

Another view of the old mill in West Warwick - notice the beautiful brick work

The streetside view of the old mill

Another part of the old mill that sprawls over several streets

This old mill is in the Crompton section of town was known  for corduroy manufacturing. It was named after Samuel Crompton who invented the spinning mule.  This mill thrived in the late 19th and early 20th century. It ceased cotton operations in 1964. There have been some smaller companies occupying parts of the mill complex since 1964. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

How old are the mills in your area? 

The Old Mills Close By

The Old Mills, Part I

The Old Lippitt Mill Was Open Until Recently - Built in 1810

The Hope Mill Built in the 1830's 

More of the Hope Mill

Every mill has a dam - the water generated power

The view of Hope Mill from the dam

I love the old mills that surround the area near where I live. They are filled with so much history and it's sad to see these two old mills now vacant. The one in Phenix (up top) was housing several businesses until about a month ago. After taking the picture I saw a for sale sign on the front of the building. It was a grist mill from at least 1737. It was one of Rhode Island's earliest textile mills. 

The other mill is in Hope. This mill was build in the 1830's. It was supposed to be turned into condo's until the economy slide.You can also read more about the challenge of  renovations here.

I always wonder about the people that worked in the mills and how the conditions were there. Did they work 8 hours or were they 12 hour days? How did they see at night? And just how HOT did it get during the summer in the mill and the upper levels?

Do you have old mills near where you live?