List of mills in Fall River, Massachusetts facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The city of Fall River, Massachusetts was once a super important place for making cotton cloth! In the late 1800s and early 1900s, it had over 120 cotton textile mills. This made Fall River the top cotton textile center in the whole United States.

Today, about 65 of these old textile mills are still standing. There are also other buildings that were part of the mill industry. Many of these historic buildings are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are recognized as important historical sites.

Amazing Old Textile Mills Still Standing
Other Historic Buildings from the Mill Era
Important Mill-Related Structures Still Standing
Mills That Are No Longer Here
Images for kids
See also

Amazing Old Textile Mills Still Standing

Many of Fall River's old textile mills are still around! These buildings show us what the city was like when it was a huge textile hub. Some of them have been changed for new uses, like apartments or shops.

Algonquin Printing Company: Built in 1891, this mill on Middle Street is made of red brick. A fire in 2010 damaged it, but the main part was saved.
American Printing Company Mill No.7: This mill from 1906 is on Anawan Street. It was built right over the Quequechan River falls!
Arkwright Mill No. 1: Built in 1897, this mill is made of Fall River Granite. It's part of a special area called the Quequechan Valley Mills Historic District.
Barnard Mills: This granite mill from 1874 on Quarry Street is now called "Tower Mill Outlet."
Border City Mill No. 1: Built in 1880, this red brick mill replaced an older one that burned down.
Border City Mill No. 2: From 1873, this mill on Weaver Street was turned into apartments in the 1980s.
Bourne Mill: Even though it's in Tiverton, Rhode Island, this granite mill from 1881 is close by. It's now homes!
Chace Mills: Built in 1872, this granite mill on Lewiston Street had a weave shed that burned in 1999, but the main mill was saved.
Charlton Mill: This granite mill from 1910 was the very last granite mill built in Fall River.
Cornell Mill: Another granite mill, built in 1889 on Alden Street.
Crescent Mill: From 1871, this granite mill on Front Street was also known as Merchants Mill No. 2.
Davis Mill No. 1 and No. 2: These granite mills from 1902 and 1908 are also part of the Quequechan Valley Mills Historic District.
Davol Mill No. 1 and No. 2: These red brick mills from 1871 and 1867 on Plymouth Avenue were built in a fancy style called Second Empire.
Durfee Mills: This is the biggest group of mill buildings still left in the city! Mills No. 1 (1866), No. 2 (1871), No. 3 (1881), and the Weave Mill (1893) are all on Pleasant Street and made of granite.
Fall River Bleachery: Built in 1872, this granite building on Jefferson Street had a part that burned in 1967.
Flint Mills: Mill No. 1 (1882) and No. 2 (1909) are granite mills on Alden Street. The first Mill No. 1 burned down and was rebuilt.
Foster Spinning Co.: This red brick mill from 1916 on Cove Street was bought by a florist supply company in 1962.
Globe Yarn Mills: Mills No. 1 (1881), No. 2 (1885), and No. 3 (1893) are red brick mills that were once part of a big yarn company.
Granite Mill No. 2 and No. 3: These granite mills from 1871 and 1893 on Bedford Street have had different businesses in them over the years.
Hargraves Mill No. 1: This granite mill from 1888 on Quarry Street was once Quaker Fabric.
Heywood Narrow Fabric Co.: Built in 1890, this red brick mill on Martine Street has been updated and now holds many different businesses.
King Philip Mills: Mills No. 1 (1871), No. 2 (1881), and No. 3 (1888) are on Kilburn Street. The first two have had fire safety problems.
Laurel Lake Mills: Mills No. 1 (1881) and No. 2 (1896) are granite mills on Broadway.
Mechanics Mill: This red brick mill from 1868 on Davol Street was one of the first mills built north of the city center. It's being turned into a new project called Commonwealth Landing.
Metacomet Mill: Built in 1847 on Anawan Street, this granite mill is the oldest cloth-making mill still standing in Fall River!
Narragansett Mills: Mills No. 1 (1872) and No. 2 (1882) are red brick mills on North Main Street. Mill No. 1 is now medical offices.
Pilgrim Mills: This red brick mill from 1910 on Pleasant Street was the first mill in Fall River to run completely on electricity!
Richard Borden Mill No. 2: Built in 1889 on Plymouth Avenue, this granite mill now has shops like Carter's and a billiards place.
Sagamore Mills: Mill No. 1 (1888) is red brick, while No. 2 (1881) and No. 3 (1882) are granite. They are on Ace Street and North Main Street.
Sanford Spinning Co. Mill No. 1: This red brick mill from 1891 on Globe Mills Avenue has been part of many different textile companies.
Seaconnet Mills: Mills No. 1 (1884) and No. 2 (1895) are granite mills on Fr. Devalles Blvd. They are now office parks and even a dance school!
Shove Mills No. 1 and Weave Shed: These granite mills from 1874 and 1897 on Shove Street have seen some changes, including a fire in 1946.
Stafford Mills: Mill No. 1 (1872), No. 2 (1886), and the Weave Mill (1900) are granite mills on County Street.
Stevens Manufacturing Spinning Mill No. 2 and Weave Mill No. 2: These red brick mills from 1901 on Stevens Street are part of the Quequechan Valley Mills Historic District.
Tecumseh Mill No. 1: This granite mill from 1866 on Hartwell Street was turned into apartments in the 1980s.
Union Mills: Mill No. 1 (1859) and No. 2 (1865) are granite mills on Pleasant Street. They are now a medical center.
Wampanoag Mills: Mill No. 1 (1872) and No. 2 (1877), and the Weave Mill (1887) are granite mills on Quequechan and Alden Streets. Mill No. 1 is now homes called The Curtain Lofts.
Wyoming Mills: This fieldstone mill from 1845 on Chace Street is part of the Marshall Hat complex and is now Duro.

Other Historic Buildings from the Mill Era

Besides the main textile mills, Fall River also has other historic buildings that were important for the manufacturing industry.

Ashworth Brothers Mill Complex: Built in 1910, this red brick complex on Globe Mills Avenue made "card clothing," which are parts for textile machines.
Borden & Remmington (original plant): An old red brick plant on Anawan Street.
Cote Piano Manufacturing Company: Around 1910, this red brick building on Alden Street was an expansion of an older mill site.
Fall River Bobbin & Shuttle Company: This red brick building on Cambridge Street made bobbins and shuttles, which are tools used in weaving.
Marshall Hat Company: From the 1890s, this red brick building on Chace Street is part of the Marshall Hat complex and is now Duro.
Textile Paper Tube Company: Built in 1901 on Globe Street, this red brick building is now known as the Tuscan Building.
Union Belt Company: This red brick building from 1871 on Troy Street made leather belts for textile machines.
Webster Loom Harness Company: Built in 1923 on Eleventh Street, this red brick building was once used for making loom harnesses.
Westport Manufacturing Company Storehouse: From 1919, this red brick building on Oregon Street was a storehouse and later used by a textile waste company.

Important Mill-Related Structures Still Standing

Many other buildings supported the huge mill industry in Fall River. These include offices, storehouses, and power plants.

American Linen Co. Cotton Store House: This field stone building from the 1860s on Ferry Street stored cotton.
American Printing Co. Electric Plant: Built in 1922 on Water Street, this red brick building provided power.
American Printing Co. Storehouses: Three red brick storehouses from the 1880s and 1903 on Anawan Street. One of them is now the Narrows Center for the Arts!
American Printing Co. Machine & Carpentry Shop: This red brick shop from the 1890s on Water Street is now home to the Marine Museum at Fall River.
Arkwright Mills Office: Built in 1897 on Quequechan Street, this office is made of yellow brick and granite. It's part of the Quequechan Valley Mills Historic District.
Bradford Durfee Textile School: This gray stone building from 1899 on Durfee Street was a textile school that opened in 1904.
Davis Mills Office: Built in 1902 on Quequechan Street, this office is also made of yellow brick and granite and is part of the historic district.
Durfee Mills Cloth Hall and Repair Shop: From 1895, this granite building on Pleasant Street was part of the large Durfee Mills complex.
Durfee Mills Cotton Store House: This granite storehouse from 1887 on Pleasant Street is now a restaurant.
Flint Mills Office: A granite office building from the 1880s on Alden Street.
Laurel Lake Mills Office: This yellow brick office on Globe Street was once a Ukrainian National Home and a restaurant.
Narragansett Mills Office: A red brick office building on North Main Street.
Oliver Chace's Thread Mill: Built in 1838 on Bay Street, this field stone building is a small part of a much larger mill that was mostly torn down.
Osborn Mill Store House: This granite storehouse from 1872 is on Montaup Street.
Stafford Mills Office: A red brick office building from the 1890s on County Street.
Stevens Mfg. Co. Boiler Room: From 1901, this red brick building on Stevens Street has a smokestack next to it.

Mills That Are No Longer Here

Many of Fall River's historic mills have been torn down or destroyed over the years, often by fires or to make way for new roads or buildings. These mills were once very important to the city's history.

American Linen Company Mills: Two granite mills from 1852 and 1866 on Ferry Street. They were torn down in the 1940s.
American Print Works: The original complex from 1835 burned down in 1867. The rebuilt granite complex from 1869 was destroyed by fire in 1941.
Anawan Mill: The first mill from 1825 burned down in 1888. Its replacement from 1888 also burned and was torn down in 1905.
Barnaby Manufacturing Co.: The main granite mill and weave mill from 1882 were torn down in 2010 for new shops.
Bay State Print Works: This mill from the 1800s burned down in 1867.
Border City Mill No. 1 (original): The first mill from 1872 burned down in 1877.
Border City Mill No. 3: This red brick mill from 1888 burned down in 2016.
Bourne Mills Weave Shed: This granite weave shed from 1900 was torn down in 2009.
Chace Mill No. 2: This granite mill from 1895 burned down in 1999.
Charlton Mill Weave Shed: This granite weave shed was demolished.
Conanicut Mills: This field stone mill from 1840 closed in 1926.
Estes Mill: This granite mill from 1852 was destroyed by fire in 1940.
Fall River Manufactory: The first mill (1813) was torn down in 1839. The second (1839) burned in 1868. The third (1869) burned in 1961.
Flint Mill No. 1 (original): This granite mill from 1872 burned down in 1882.
Globe Manufactory: This field stone mill from 1838 was torn down in 1927.
Granite Mill No. 1: The original mill from 1866 burned in 1874, killing 23 workers. The replacement mill from 1875 was torn down in 1961.
Hargraves Mill No. 2: Two granite and brick buildings from 1891 were torn down in 2009.
Iron Works Cotton Mills: Several mills (No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) built between 1889 and 1902 were destroyed by fire or demolished between 1941 and 2011.
Kerr Thread Mills: Three red brick and concrete mills built between 1890 and after 1916 were all destroyed by a fire in 1987.
King Philip Mill No. 4: This granite mill from 1892 was torn down in 2018 to build houses.
Lincoln Manufacturing Co. Mills: Three granite mills from 1907 and 1912 were torn down in the 1950s.
Massasoit Steam Mill: This granite mill from 1846 was torn down in the 1960s.
Merchants Mill: This granite mill from 1866 was destroyed by fire in 1934.
Montaup Mill: This red brick mill from 1871 burned down in 1940.
Osborn Mill No. 1: This granite mill from 1872 was torn down by the mid-1950s.
Parker Mill: This granite mill from 1895 was torn down in 2009.
Pocasset Manufacturing Company Mills: Several mills built between 1822 and 1880 were destroyed by fires, including the Great Fall River Fire of 1928.
Richard Borden Mill No. 1: This granite mill from 1871 was destroyed by fire in 1981.
Robeson Mills: Mill No. 1 (1866) was torn down in 2001. Mill No. 2 (1903) was torn down in the 1990s.
Robeson Print Works Mills: Three mills built between 1827 and 1836 were torn down in the 1960s for a highway.
Sagamore Mill No. 1 (original): This red brick mill from 1872 burned down in 1884.
Sanford Spinning Co. Mill No. 2: This red brick mill from 1890 was torn down in 2005 for a new school.
Shove Mill No. 2: This granite mill from 1881, located in Rhode Island, mostly burned in 1940.
Slade Mill: This red brick mill from 1871 closed in 1927.
Small Brothers Manufacturing Company: This red brick mill was torn down for hospital parking.
Stevens Manufacturing Mills: Several red brick mills from 1892 and 1901 were torn down in the 1990s and 2000s for new housing.
Tecumseh Mills No. 2 and No. 3: These granite mills from 1872 and 1896 were torn down in the 1990s for a supermarket.
Troy Cotton & Woolen Manufactory: Several mills built between 1813 and 1860 were destroyed by fire or torn down, some for Interstate 195.
Union Cotton Factory: This field stone mill from 1813 burned down in 1838.
Union Mill No. 3 and No. 4: These red brick mills from 1877 and 1895 were torn down in the 1960s for Interstate 195.
Wamsutta Steam Woolen Mill: This granite mill from 1849 was torn down in 1961 for Interstate 195.
Watuppa Mill: This granite mill from 1826 burned in 1928.
Weetamoe Mill: This red brick mill from 1870 was destroyed by fire in 1940.