The Crompton Mill Historic District is a 5+ acres district on the South Branch of the Pawtuxet River in the town of West Warwick, RI. The district includes a complex of densely clustered mill buildings, mostly red brick, mostly multistory,
and waterpower resources including dams and raceways. The land surrounding the district consists of the densely settled, now mostly residential and commercial, village of Crompton in West Warwick. The district, which is located between the Quidnick Mill upstream and the Arctic Mill downstream, is one of numerous historic textile mill complexes on the Pawtuxet River. This heavily industrialized waterway supplied power and process water for the mills along its route from its headwaters in the Flat River Reservoir in Coventry, Rhode Island to its confluence with the North Branch at the village of Riverpoint, and to Pontiac Mill in Warwick.
The Crompton Mill complex at 20 Remington Street and 53 and 65 Manchester Street in West Warwick consists of a dense grouping of closely spaced, rectangular, masonry-walled buildings ranging from single freestanding ones to clusters of attached buildings that were connected over time by additions ranging from large historic masonry buildings to modern ephemeral awnings covering alleyways.
Most of the Crompton Mill buildings share a range of typical mid 19th century to early 20th century exterior and interior materials and construction methods. Many of the roofs are flat, built-up structures with a subtly pitched gable for drainage, and have similar overhanging wood cornices with plank soffits and fascia, exposed beveled rafter tails, and wood crown molding at the gutter line. Walls are of brick masonry construction with little or no decoration.
The complex includes two nineteenth-century granite block buildings, one with its original gable roof, and several small later twentieth-century utility additions constructed of modern materials. The buildings are now vacant, and were partially occupied by two dye works and a lace-making operation.
The Crompton Mill District represents the industrial history, architecture and engineering of the Pawtuxet River valley, one of RI most heavily industrialized areas. The mill was used primarily for bleaching, dyeing and finishing cotton goods including velvets and corduroys that were manufactured. The period of significance begins in 1807 when the first mill was erected and ends in 1946 with the Crompton Company ceased operations at this location. The mill is an important association with the cotton textile industry of Rhode Island.
Cotton factories emerged in this area after Samuel Slater brought the English Arkwright system of water powered cotton spinning machinery to the United States.. Slater established the first machine cotton mill in Pawtucket in 1790. In 1794, West Warwick's first cotton mil was erected in Centerville. Three more mills were built and in 1807 the Providence Manufacturing Company (became the Crompton Company) erected a stone mill in Crompton.
Production t the Crompton Mill peaked in the late 19th early 20th century as the manufacture of cotton goods shifted to the south. At the close of World War I the company realized that its New England locations were no longer viable as their sole facility and opened a factory in Griffin, GA. By 1964 the company ceased and terminated all operations because of outdated buildings, high taxes, strict labor laws and focused all their efforts on their southern facilities. The operations in Rhode Island were transferred to the Waynesboro, VA facility.
Since Crompton ceased operations in Crompton, the mill have been occupied by various small manufacturing companies. In 1992 a fire started in Mill No 4 and ravaged a large portion of the cotton works on the west side of the river. Mill No 2, 3 and 4, 1882 Boiler House, Engine House, and Wheel House were impacted by the fire and only sections of walls and foundations remain. The two largest buildings on the west side of the river, the Cotton House and Store House B/Dye House are occupied by light industrial concerns. The building on the east side of the river had been occupied but are vacant now.
Crompton Mill contains several elements of almost 200 years of New England textile mill architecture. It has a long history and a great example of the industrial revolution in the United States.
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