Our day began at Slater Mill. The mill is part of the Blackstone River Valley, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Pawtucket is the local Indian word for place of falling water. Slater Mill is the last mill standing in the valley. This stone building is actually the Wilkinson Blacksmith shop. When the Englishman Slater convinced the local Sylvanus Brown that he could, in fact, build a proper mill he needed Wilkinson to build the machines.
The water wheel weighs 20,000 pounds
I simply took photos of the equipment because the machinery is so cool, all of this machinery was run off of the mill wheel
This is the Slater Mill building, notice it is all wood. The one thing we hear constantly is the fear of fire, with all the cotton dust, it must have been truly a fire trap.
Pawtucket was a major contributor of cotton textiles during the American Industrial Revolution. Slater Mill is known for developing a commercially successful production process not reliant on earlier horse-drawn processes (i.e. the water wheel). Other manufacturers moved in and helped transformed Pawtucket into a center for textiles, iron working and other products.
The textile business in New England declined during the Great Depression with many manufacturers closing or moving their facilities South where operations and labor were cheaper.
B
This is the Fleur de Lys Studio of Sydney Burleigh in Providence. Built in 1885 with monies provided by Burleigh’s wife, Sarah Drew Wilkinson, who with her wealth encouraged Burleigh to become a full time artist. Burleigh along with Edmond Wilson used the house to found the Art Workers Guild of Providence. The house was, and, remains today, an artists studio, now belonging to Providence Art Club. This house represents the beginning of the Arts and Crafts Movement. The exterior is simply divine.
The Fireplace in Burleigh Studio
***
This is Providence City Hall. In 1843, the municipal council passed a resolution calling for the construction of a new city hall building. In 1873, the Providence municipal government completed negotiations and acquired a former theater site for the new building.
An open call for design led to twenty one submissions, and four finalists. Samuel J. F. Thayer’s “Blue Wafer” design was chosen, and he was paid $1000.00. The building, modified from its original design, would evetually cost the city $1,000,000. The cornerstone was laid on June 24, 1875. Inaugurated on November 14, 1878, The Providence Journal called the building “Our Municipal Palace.”
The Providence City Hall is part of this fabulous architecture of hand painted/stenciled ceilings, tile floors and wood carved walls.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*****
Next stop, Lippitt House, which was the home of Rhode Island Governor Henry Lippet who served from 1875-77. The house is a Mead and McKim built in 1875. Again, I am just sharing photographs because the house is so beautiful it needs no further discussion.
The wood on the floor is real, but the wood on the ceiling is faux paint.
********
This is Clouds Hill. Built in 1872-77 by William R. Walker, this house has been in the family for four generations, and is part of the Slater Mill Empire. What made the house so unique is that nothing has changed inside. There is just too much to say about it, so I will let the photographs speak for it.
The parlor was Egyptian. It was just phenomenal, the wall paper, the clocks, the furniture, and the fireplace all had Egyptian themes. A house of this type would have been planned, as a whole, down to the gnat’s ass, but this was just spectacular.
The dining room had a bird theme, again, every single thing about it…
This was the fireplace in the hall, obviously the fireplaces were the thing that struck me the most.
As I said, the house is still lived in by the family
Including this fellow
Just in case you haven’t had enough, here are some random shots from the day.
