Russell Company Upper Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Russell Company Upper Mill
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In 2016
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 475 E. Main St., Middletown, Connecticut |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1836 |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000150 |
| Added to NRHP | February 6, 1986 |
The Russell Company Upper Mill is a very old building in Middletown, Connecticut. It was built way back in 1836. This special building is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's important to history! You can find it where Russell Street and East Main Street meet. There's a small pond nearby. Today, this historic mill has been turned into modern apartments.
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A Look at the Old Mill's History
This factory was built by the Russell Manufacturing Company in 1836. It is the oldest textile mill building still standing in Middletown. The company started in 1834. Important people like Samuel Russell and Samuel Dickinson Hubbard helped create it.
Making Elastic and More
In 1841, the Russell Manufacturing Company made history. They were the first to create elastic fabric using special machines called power looms. This was a big deal for manufacturing! By 1896, the company made many different woven products. They became the biggest maker of suspenders in the whole country. About 900 people worked in their seven different mills.
What the Mill Looked Like
The original part of the mill was made of brick. It was called the "Webb Mill" on old maps from 1859. It stood right next to Sumner Brook. Water from a mill race used to flow through the building. The main factory section has a sloped roof called a gabled roof. It has cool brick designs along the edges.
The outside walls of the building have metal supports. These help make the brick walls stronger. Later, before 1874, two sections with special mansard roofs were added. These sections had many small windows sticking out, called dormers. There used to be a tall smokestack and fancy towers on the roof. But these were taken down after 1896.
Why This Mill Is Important
This building, along with the nearby dam and pond, shows us about the early industrial past of South Farms. The Russell Manufacturing Company was very successful. Its success helped turn the area into a busy city district. In 1850, three of the company's factories were located by the brook. This mill is the only one of those original buildings that is still standing today.
