Taftville, Connecticut facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Taftville
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Ponemah Mills in 1907
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Route 97 and Route 169 in Norwich, Connecticut |
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| Area | 110 acres (45 ha) |
| Built | 1866 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century Revival, Second Empire |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002878 |
| Added to NRHP | December 1, 1978 |
Taftville is a small village located in eastern Connecticut, United States. It's like a special neighborhood within the city of Norwich, but it even has its own post office. The village was started in 1866. It was built around a very large factory called the Taftville Mill, which later became known as the Ponemah Mill.
This village is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a special place recognized for its history. You might see it called "Taftville" or "Taftville/Ponemah Mill National Register Historic District."
Today, the huge Ponemah Mill is being given a new life! Companies are working to turn the old factory into fancy apartments and shops. The National Park Service is helping to make sure that the building's old, historic parts are kept safe and sound during this big project.
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The Story of Ponemah Mills
The Ponemah Mills was a huge factory that made cotton fabric. It was built right next to the Shetucket River. This was a smart choice because a large dam could be built there to create power for the machines. People said that the main mill building was the biggest place for weaving fabric under one roof at that time!
When the mill first opened, most of the workers were Irish immigrants. Life was tough for them, especially during a difficult economic time in the 1870s. This period started with a financial crisis called the Panic of 1873. Many people lost their jobs, and wages dropped a lot between 1873 and 1875. This caused a lot of tension between the workers and the factory owners.
In April 1875, about 1,200 workers at the mill decided to go on strike. This meant they stopped working to protest their conditions. The mill owners had made things harder by raising the rent on the houses they owned where workers lived. They also raised prices at the company store. At that time, workers earned less than $10 for working 67 hours a week! Imagine working so many hours for so little money.
One story tells of a worker who said he and his daughter had worked full-time for over three months. But they only had four dollars saved between them. The main reason for the strike was that the company cut their pay by 12 percent. They did this to try and stop workers from forming a union. The company even said they would give half the pay cut back to anyone who didn't try to join a union.
After the strike, the company brought in new workers, many of whom were French Canadians. Soon, more than 70 percent of the people living in Taftville were French Canadian. The mill owners also forced the striking workers out of their company-owned homes. The government even passed a strict "tramp law" to deal with workers who became homeless after their strikes failed.
The Ponemah Mills kept running for about 100 years. After it closed, it sat empty for over 40 years. Now, as you know, it's being turned into new homes!
Schools and Churches in Taftville
Taftville has good schools for its young residents. There's a public elementary school called Wequonnoc Magnet Elementary School. It's part of the Norwich Public School System. There's also a private elementary school called Sacred Heart School.
After elementary school, students usually go to Kelly Middle School. From there, they can choose to attend high school at Norwich Free Academy, Norwich Technical High School, or other nearby high schools.
For places of worship, Taftville has two churches: Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church and the Taftville Congregational Church.
Famous People from Taftville
Some interesting people have lived in Taftville over the years!
One famous person was Ned (Edward) Hanlon. He was a very successful baseball manager. He managed several teams, including the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, the Baltimore Orioles, and the Brooklyn Superbas. He was so good that he was put into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996!
Another baseball player from Taftville was Augustine "Lefty" Dugas. He was born in Quebec, Canada, but his family settled in Taftville. He played as a right fielder for teams like the Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, and Washington Senators in the 1930s.
In the world of academics, Saunders Mac Lane was a very important mathematician. His father was the minister of the Taftville Congregational Church. Saunders Mac Lane taught at famous universities like the University of Chicago, Yale, and Harvard. He even co-wrote a very important math book called A Survey of Modern Algebra.
Images for kids
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Ponemah Mills in 1907
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Ponemah Mills, about 1918
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Mill housing in Taftville
