Fighting for River Frontage - Pawtucket, Rhode Island
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N 41° 52.595 W 071° 22.918
19T E 302343 N 4638816
An historical marker with information about waterpowered mills in the 1880's is located on Broadway in Pawtucket and overlooks the Blackstone River.
Waymark Code: WMZPH5
Location: Rhode Island, United States
Date Posted: 12/14/2018
Views: 1
The marker has the following text:
Fighting for River Frontage
Pawtucket was once a sleepy hamlet with a handful of mills siphoning water from the Blackstone River. Then, in 1793, Samuel Slater built the first water-powered cotton spinning mill in the United States.
Slater’s success triggered a wave of copycat entrepreneurs that filled the banks of the Blackstone River. By the 1880’s, Pawtucket’s riverfront was covered with busy factories. They all tapped into the river, draining away what had once seemed to be an unlimited source of water.
Mill owners began to expand across New England seeking more waterpower. They carried the Industrial Revolution with them.
The entire background of this historical marker is a colorized panoramic photograph captioned Mills along the Blackstone River, 1880 and presents a high angle view to the northwest across the river of many buildings on and beyond the shore. A red-colored building set back from the river in the center of the image is labeled “Wilkinson Mill”. Also in the center, closer to the bottom of the photo, and on the water is a the yellow “Slater Mill” labeled the same way.
This marker is just off the sidewalk along Broadway where it merges with School Street.
Organization that Placed the Marker: Not listed
Year Marker was Placed: Not listed
Related Website: Not listed
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