Valley Falls Cotton Mill Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Valley Falls Cotton Mill Site
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Mill foundations
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Valley Falls Park, Vernon, Connecticut |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1849 |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000276 |
| Added to NRHP | March 28, 1997 |
The Valley Falls Cotton Mill Site is a special historical place in Vernon, Connecticut. It's where old mills used to stand, powered by a nearby brook. People used these mills from the 1700s until 1877, when the last one was destroyed by a fire. Today, you can visit the remains of these mills at Valley Falls Park. This important site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
Contents
What is the Valley Falls Mill Site?
The Valley Falls Cotton Mill Site is located inside Valley Falls Park in Vernon, Connecticut. This park is mostly covered with trees and has many wet areas. The main visitor areas, like parking, are at the northern end of the park. A stream called Railroad Brook flows through the park. At the northern end, you can see where a millpond used to be, held back by a stone dam. Below this dam are the old foundations and parts of the mills that once stood there.
How did the mills use water power?
The mills at Valley Falls used the power of Railroad Brook to operate their machinery. Water from the brook was collected in a millpond, which was like a small lake. A stone dam held the water back. When the mill needed power, water was released from the pond through channels. This flowing water turned large water wheels, which then powered the mill's equipment. This was a common way for factories to get energy before electricity was widely available.
A Look Back: History of the Mills
People started using Railroad Brook for industrial work way back in the mid-1700s. The very first mill recorded here was a sawmill, which cut wood.
From Sawmill to Textile Factory
By the early 1800s, another type of mill was built next to the sawmill. This was an oil mill that processed flaxseed. Then, in 1847, this oil mill was changed into a textile factory. Textile factories make cloth, and this one produced woolen fabric.
To make sure the textile mill had enough power, the dam holding back the millpond was made taller two times in the 1850s. This allowed more water to be stored, providing more energy for the machines.
The Final Years and the Fire
By 1860, records show that the property included a stone mill, a house for the miller (the person who ran the mill), and other small buildings. However, on February 3, 1877, a big fire destroyed the entire complex. The only building that survived was a boarding house where employees lived. The owners of the mill did not have enough insurance, so they couldn't afford to rebuild. This fire marked the end of the mill operations at Valley Falls.
Images for kids
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Mill foundations
