Belknap-Sulloway Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Belknap-Sulloway Mill
|
|
 |
|
 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 25 Beacon Street East, Laconia, New Hampshire |
|---|---|
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1823 |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000046 |
| Added to NRHP | January 25, 1971 |
The Belknap-Sulloway Mill, also known today as the Belknap Mill Museum, is a very old building in Laconia, New Hampshire. It's a special kind of factory called a textile mill, where cloth was made. This mill was built between 1823 and 1828. It's important because it's one of the few early textile mills in New England that is still standing and in good condition. The city of Laconia actually grew up around this mill. People worked here making cloth until 1969. Later, in 1991, it opened as a museum. The mill was recognized as a historic place in 1971.
Contents
What Does the Mill Look Like?
The Belknap-Sulloway Mill is in downtown Laconia. It sits between Beacon Street East and the Winnipesaukee River. The river was very important because it provided the power for the mill to run.
Building Features
The mill is a brick building with three and a half stories. It has a unique roof shape called a stepped gable roof. Along the top of the roof, there are special windows called clerestory windows. These windows let in extra light. There are tall, thin chimneys at each end of the building. In the middle of the roof, there's a wooden tower called a cupola. This cupola holds a bell.
Main Entrance and Windows
The front of the building faces north and has nine sections. In the very center, there's a rectangular part that sticks out. This part holds a staircase. All the windows are simple and rectangular. At the back of the building, there are a few smaller brick sections that are only one story tall.
History of the Belknap Mill
The first mill on this spot was made of wood. It was built in 1811 when this area was part of Meredith, New Hampshire. Sadly, that first mill burned down in 1823. The brick building you see today was built to replace it. It was fully working by 1828. People believe the bell in the cupola is a new version of the bell from the original mill.
How the Mill Changed Over Time
Unlike mills built later, which used materials that were better at resisting fire, this mill's inside floors were made with wooden beams. Over the years, some changes were made to the building. For example, a door was added to the stair tower before 1875. The smaller sections at the back were also added. Around 1900, one of these additions was built to hold three power turbines. These turbines helped the mill get its power.
The Mill's Importance to Laconia
The Belknap-Sulloway Mill, along with another nearby factory called the Busiel-Seeburg Mill, helped the area grow. This place was first known as Meredith Bridge. Because of these mills, it grew into the city we now call Laconia. The Belknap Mill kept making textiles until 1969. Then, in 1991, it began a new life as a museum.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Belknap County, New Hampshire
- New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 135: The Belknap Mill - The Busiel Mill
