Richardson Silk Mill facts for kids
The Richardson Silk Mill is an old factory building in Belding, Michigan. It used to make silk thread. Today, it has been turned into apartments called the Flats on the River. This building is important because it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a special historical site.
Quick facts for kids |
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Richardson Silk Mill
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 101 Front St., Belding, Michigan |
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| Area | 2.3 acres (0.93 ha) |
| Built | 1886 |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002496 |
| Added to NRHP | September 26, 1985 |
Contents
History of the Silk Mill
How the Silk Business Started
In 1860, three brothers, Hiram, Alva, and Milo Belding, began selling spooled silk. They started in what is now Belding, Michigan. Their business grew very quickly. By 1866, the Belding Brothers company started making silk thread themselves. Their first factory was in Rockville, Connecticut.
Soon, they opened more factories. They had mills in Northampton, Massachusetts, California, and even Montreal.
Building the Belding Mill
In 1886, the Belding Brothers decided to build a new silk factory in Belding, Michigan. This factory was called Mill #1. But after it was built, they had doubts about how well it would do. So, they sold it to George Richardson. Mr. Richardson had worked for the Belding Brothers before.
The Mill's Success and Changes
Even though the Belding Brothers had doubts, the Richardson Mill was very successful right away. Because of this success, the Belding Brothers built three more silk mills in Belding. They built one in 1890, and two more soon after.
In 1898, George Richardson made his mill even bigger. He added a large new section. For a while, all four silk mills in Belding were busy making silk.
In 1910, the Belding Brothers bought the Richardson Mill back. They ran it until 1925. Then, they sold their company to a new group of owners. The new company was called Belding-Heminway. They kept the Belding mills running until 1932, when they closed them.
After the silk mills closed, the Richardson Silk Mill was used by different companies. In the 1970s, it was used to make sporting goods filled with down feathers.
From Factory to Homes
By the early 1980s, the Richardson Silk Mill building was empty. It was not being used anymore. Then, in 1986, the building was changed into apartments. These apartments are now known as the Flats on the River.
What the Mill Looks Like
The Richardson Silk Mill is a four-story building. It is made of light-colored brick. It has a slanted roof and sits on a strong concrete base.
The building was built in two main parts. The first part, from 1888, is about 50 feet wide and 250 feet long. The second part, added in 1898, is 50 feet wide and 100 feet long.
The older part of the building has two tall brick towers. These towers have pointed slate roofs. This section also has many arched windows. There are decorative lines of red brick between the windows and around the arches. The newer part of the building has similar windows, but without the fancy red brick designs. There is also a two-story white brick addition at the back of the building.
