Old Slater Mill

Old Slater Mill. Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, Slater Mill Historic Site. , The American Industrial Revolution began right here. In 1793, Samuel Slater teamed up with investors and local artisans. Together, they built a first for the United States, a successful cotton spinning mill that was run by water power., After that, "cotton mill fever" spread rapidly up the Blackstone River. It then spilled out into New England, and eventually other parts of the nation. These industries forever changed the land, ways of life, and economies., Slater Mill Historic Site preserves and interprets America's industrial heritage. The story is told in three historic buildings on the property., Old Slater Mill , Built in 1793, the yellow mill you see to your left once contained Slater's revolutionary spinning machines. Today it houses historic textile equipment, an information desk, and a gift shop., Sylvanus Brown House , This was the home of Sylvanus Brown, a mechanic who worked closely with Samuel Slater. The house and furnishings reflect life and work near the start of the Industrial Revolution., Wilkinson Mill , This mill made machines for textile mills and other customers. Here, you can see a water wheel in action and witness a machine shop from the 1800s at work.