Slater Mill

Interest Areas: History / Heritage

Located on the Blackstone River in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Slater Mill is a museum complex dedicated to bringing one of the most exciting and significant periods of American history to life. Visitors to the site experience a time when an America of small farmers and craftsmen was poised to become the industrial leader of the world

In the Slater Mill itself, visitors are surrounded by vintage textile machinery bathed in the light of large windows. With expert commentary from costumed interpreters they can imagine the lives of the people, many of them children, who made the early mills come alive. In the nearby Wilkinson Mill they can feel the throb of the great 16,000-pound mill wheel, a replica of the original wheel that harnessed the power of the Blackstone River to make the era's finest tools. Children get up close and personal with early production processes as they provide the power and operate miniature machinery in the Apprentice Alcove. And in the Sylvanus Brown House they can look back to a time when spinning, weaving, cooking and quilting were the stuff of everyday life.

The story of Slater Mill is the story of innovation, of labor, of artisans, of women's rights, of the cotton economy, of immigration and assimilation, as well as the story of industry. It is culturally, educationally and historically important for people of all ages and origins to be able to come, see, touch, learn and be inspired at Slater Mill.

Accredited by the American Association of Museums National Historic Landmark Site, Slater Mill is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is the cornerstone of the John H. Chafee Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor. Slater Mill is supported by charitable contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations with addition support from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and the City of Pawtucket, RI.