Pawtucket in Providence County, Rhode Island — The American Northeast (New England)
A Mechanic's Life
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, Slater Mill Historic Site
— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
Tradition holds that Ebenezer Jenks built the house in front of you in the mid-1700s. He was the grandson of Pawtucket's first settler, Joseph Jenks, Jr.
By the end of the 1700s, Sylvanus Brown, a mechanic owned the place. He welcomed Samuel Slater to spend his first night in Pawtucket in this very home. Brown helped Slater achieve his first success here.
In the years that followed, Brown continued to work with the Slater Mill. He made full-scale wooden models, called "patterns," for Slater's machines.
The house once echoed with the hum of a spinning wheel and the rhythm of a loom. Brown's wife, Ruth, and other workers wove cloth by hand before the invention of the power loom in the early 1800s.
A Moving History
This home was originally built in 1758. It was threatened with demolition in the 1960s. A group of citizens became determined to preserve it. They raised funds to move the 40-ton house here in 1962.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Industry & Commerce • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1758.
Location. 41° 52.671′ N, 71° 22.956′
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Old Slater Mill (here, next to this marker); First Successful Cotton Mill in America (here, next to this marker); Slater Mill (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named The Old Slater Mill (a few steps from this marker); The Wilkinson Mill (within shouting distance of this marker); Milling Machines (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Wilkinson Mill (within shouting distance of this marker); Birthplace of American Manufacturing (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pawtucket.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced the linked marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 21, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 21, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 101 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 21, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
