Pawtucket in Providence County, Rhode Island — The American Northeast (New England)
A Family Business
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, Slater Mill Historic Site
— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
Just six years after building Slater Mill, Samuel Slater's partners, William Almy and Obadiah Brown, bought another mill on their own. They even copied some of Slater's machine designs for their mill.
This annoyed Slater so much that he built a new mill of his own with his in-laws, the Wilkinsons. Together they finished the White Mill in 1799. It was located on the grassy hill you can see across the river.
Despite these differences, the Almy, Brown, and Slater partnership remained intact. Eight years later, they added John Slater to the partnership and built what was then the biggest mill in America. Visit Slatersville, just a few miles to the north, to see the second chapter of Slater's story.
The White Mill burned down in 1824. There are no visual records of what the building looked like. This illustration is an artist's concept based on written descriptions.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1799.
Location. 41° 52.639′ N, 71° 22.956′ W. Marker is in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in Providence County. Marker can
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Harnessing the Power of the Blackstone River (here, next to this marker); Milling Machines (within shouting distance of this marker); The Wilkinson Mill (within shouting distance of this marker); Birthplace of American Manufacturing (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Wilkinson Mill (within shouting distance of this marker); Water Works (within shouting distance of this marker); The Old Slater Mill (within shouting distance of this marker); First Successful Cotton Mill in America (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pawtucket.
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 91 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 21, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
