Stanley Woolen Mill
Encyclopedia
Stanley Woolen Mill is the common historic name applied to a defunct company based in southeastern Massachusetts and to the company's buildings which stand at the southern entrance to the Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park
. The mill is an important footnote in the history of the textile industry in America. Stanley Woolen Mill is the centerpiece of the Central Woolen Mills District
which is part of the National Historic Register.
at Uxbridge, a heritage corridor of national significance for America's earliest industrialization. The main factory building represents the last of a line of wooden textile mills built for mechanized manufacturing in Massachusetts and in the US. This mill helped to pioneer satinet
, cashmere
s, and utilized power looms, (first developed for woolens in the U.S. by John Capron
from Uxbridge). Stanley Woolen had a long history of manufacturing military uniforms from the time of the American Civil War
through the World Wars and including for the allied armies of Europe in World War I
. "Beginning as Stanley Woolen Mills, the firm survived two depressions, weathering the changing times and the changing demands in the world of textiles. Over the years, the Stanley Woolen Company mills sold to such manufacturers as Evan Picone, Perry Ellis, Brooks Brothers and Hager". It is reported that Stanley Woolen Mill was the first US mill to completely manufacture woolen garments, mainly men's wear for the domestic market. Another tradition of this mill's long history was the blending of wool and cottons as fabrics in the manufacture of clothing.
first settled in what later became Uxbridge in the 17th Century. A descendant, Luke Taft
became one of the earliest industrial pioneers here.) Luke Taft
was the son in law of Daniel Day
, and married his daughter Nancy. In 1809, Daniel Day
had started the first woolen mill in Uxbridge and the Blackstone River Valley, one of the first woolen mills in the US(third), a little bit downstream. The Wheelocks, (descended from the Rev. Ralph Wheelock, the pioneer of American public education), also settled in Uxbridge
, in the 18th Century. Lt. Simeon Wheelock
, a Revolutionary War soldier, fought and died in Shays' Rebellion
. His son Jerry, became one of the earliest textile pioneers in Uxbridge, and worked with Luke Taft. Luke and Nancy (Day) Taft had a son, Moses, who born in January 1812. Jerry Wheelock's daughter, Sylvia A Wheelock, then married Moses Taft
in 1834. Luke Taft
established a mill at the site in 1833, and Moses Taft, (Luke's son and Daniel Day's grandson) established what later became the larger Stanley Mill in 1852. Uxbridge was an early industrial center that played key roles in the early textile industry in America, pioneering satinets, cashmere
s, blended fabrics, and power looms for woolens. Stanley Woolen Mill later would become a legacy of both the Taft and Wheelock families, continuing woolen and textile innovations of Uxbridge, begun by Jerry, Luke and their contemporaries. Stanley Woolen Mill became the first mill to offer complete vertical integration
from raw materials to clothing. Stanley Woolen Mill, was a continuously operating family business, from 1833 at the present site, and from 1809, with its connections to Daniel Day.
in 1847, Moses Taft
, a financier and industrialist, built his Central Woolen Mill on the banks of the former Canal, in 1852. His father, Luke Taft
, had built an earlier mill here in 1833. The Central Woolen (Moses Taft) mill ran round the clock during the American Civil War
. Union Blue Uniforms were made at Central Woolen. By the mid 1850's the mills of Uxbridge, were producing 2.5 million yards (2 million square meters) of cloth yearly. Some of the earliest improvements of textiles, and their industrial processes occurred in the Uxbridge Mills including Central Woolen also known as Calumet Mill.
In later years, from 1903, the mill became known as Wheelock Mill or simply Stanley Woolen. In the later 20th century the mill buildings were designated as Contributing Structures to the Blackstone Canal National Historic District. While most of the mill's land was sold to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the state park, the buildings themselves continued in private hands because manufacturing continued. Tours of the working factory were intended to be a component of the Park's 'Farm to Factory' story.
Integrated operation from carding through spinning, dying and weaving ended soon after the Park opened, but small specialty weaving operations continued in a portion of the mill until 1998 when the deterioration of the buildings made them unusable. (See also links for the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
).
While still in full operation the factory was used in the production of several movies including Oliver's Story
1978, and The Great Gatsby
1974. An antique store and antique refinishing shop maintained occupancy in a portion of the building. From 2005-2010 the main building and the attached brick and light frame structures have been under restoration funded by private investors to prepare them for retail and office re-use. The new uses were intended to complement regional and local efforts to develop tourism and new businesses.
With restoration of 419 surviving original 536 twelve-over-twelve windows and of 40 of 60 pairs of massive doors it is among the best preserved wooden structures of the old textile manufacturing era in Massachusetts.(
). The redevelopment has helped its preservation and had no negative environmental impacts on neighboring Federal or state parklands or the canal.
The Wheelock Family mill became known as one the longest-running family owned textile businesses in the USA, lasting over a century. Today its Berroco Inc. yarn distribution operation is headquartered nearby and traces its roots to Jerry Wheelock and the Stanley Woolen Mill.
The additional references cited below, as other references, add to the history of this site, and offer a pictorial overview. "The Stanley Mill Story" published recently by Deane Redevelopment, is cited first among "other references", and describes the possibility raised by economic historian Jill Dupree that the history of the Blackstone Canal
was one of rival industrialists using laws that encouraged transportation projects such as the Blackstone Canal
to wrest "water rights" from previous owners.
Moses Taft certainly took advantage of the collapse of the bankrupt Blackstone canal properties to acquire the Canal and use it as the mill race to power his mill on this site.
Stanley-Berrocco began as a subsidiary of Stanley Woolen Mill in 1968. The Berrocco Corporate site today is the same location as the former Scott Mill, and the original site of the Daniel Day
mill of 1809, just a little bit downstream on the Blackstone River, from the Stanley Woolen Mill. Two centuries later in 2010, America's earliest textile history continues today in what is the center of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
. Warren Wheelock, a descendent of Jerry Wheelock, leads this company today.
Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park
The Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park is a part of the State Park system of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation...
. The mill is an important footnote in the history of the textile industry in America. Stanley Woolen Mill is the centerpiece of the Central Woolen Mills District
Central Woolen Mills District
The Central Woolen Mills District is a historic district in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. On October 7, 1983, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The centerpiece of this historic district is the Stanley Woolen Mill, aka Central Woolen Mill, built by Moses Taft in 1852, and earlier...
which is part of the National Historic Register.
Overview
Stanley Woolen Mill is located in the center of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage CorridorBlackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
The John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a National Heritage Corridor dedicated to the history of the early American Industrial Revolution, including mill towns stretching across 24 cities and towns near the river's course in Worcester County, Massachusetts and...
at Uxbridge, a heritage corridor of national significance for America's earliest industrialization. The main factory building represents the last of a line of wooden textile mills built for mechanized manufacturing in Massachusetts and in the US. This mill helped to pioneer satinet
Satinet
Satinet is a finely woven fabric with a finish resembling satin but made partly or wholly from cotton or synthetic fiber. The process was developed in Mesopotamia, 5000BC. The fibers may be natural as with cotton, woolens or cashmere wool, or synthetic. The process of manufacturing satinets in the...
, cashmere
Cashmere
Cashmere may refer to:* Cashmere wool, wool from the Cashmere goatPlaces* Another term for Kashmir, a region of the Indian subcontinent* Cashmere, New Zealand, a suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand* Cashmere, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Australia...
s, and utilized power looms, (first developed for woolens in the U.S. by John Capron
John Capron
John Willard Capron was an American military officer in the infantry, state legislator, and textile manufacturer.-Early life, family:...
from Uxbridge). Stanley Woolen had a long history of manufacturing military uniforms from the time of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
through the World Wars and including for the allied armies of Europe in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. "Beginning as Stanley Woolen Mills, the firm survived two depressions, weathering the changing times and the changing demands in the world of textiles. Over the years, the Stanley Woolen Company mills sold to such manufacturers as Evan Picone, Perry Ellis, Brooks Brothers and Hager". It is reported that Stanley Woolen Mill was the first US mill to completely manufacture woolen garments, mainly men's wear for the domestic market. Another tradition of this mill's long history was the blending of wool and cottons as fabrics in the manufacture of clothing.
The original founding families
The American Taft familyTaft family
The Taft family of the United States hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, with historic origins in Massachusetts; its members have served Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, and the United States in various positions, such as Governor of Ohio, Governor of Rhode Island, U.S. Senator , U.S...
first settled in what later became Uxbridge in the 17th Century. A descendant, Luke Taft
Luke Taft
Luke Taft was an industrial pioneer in the manufacture of woolens in 19th century New England.-Family:...
became one of the earliest industrial pioneers here.) Luke Taft
Luke Taft
Luke Taft was an industrial pioneer in the manufacture of woolens in 19th century New England.-Family:...
was the son in law of Daniel Day
Daniel Day
Daniel Day was an American pioneer in woolen manufacturing.-Family:Daniel Day was born in Mendon, MA and was the son of Joseph Day and Deborah Taft...
, and married his daughter Nancy. In 1809, Daniel Day
Daniel Day
Daniel Day was an American pioneer in woolen manufacturing.-Family:Daniel Day was born in Mendon, MA and was the son of Joseph Day and Deborah Taft...
had started the first woolen mill in Uxbridge and the Blackstone River Valley, one of the first woolen mills in the US(third), a little bit downstream. The Wheelocks, (descended from the Rev. Ralph Wheelock, the pioneer of American public education), also settled in Uxbridge
Uxbridge, Massachusetts
Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It was first settled in 1662, incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. Uxbridge is south-southeast of Worcester, north-northwest of Providence, and southwest of Boston. It is part of...
, in the 18th Century. Lt. Simeon Wheelock
Simeon Wheelock
Simeon Wheelock was a blacksmith from Uxbridge, Massachusetts, who served as a minuteman in the Massachusetts militia during the battles of Lexington and Concord in the American Revolutionary War...
, a Revolutionary War soldier, fought and died in Shays' Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising in central and western Massachusetts from 1786 to 1787. The rebellion is named after Daniel Shays, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War....
. His son Jerry, became one of the earliest textile pioneers in Uxbridge, and worked with Luke Taft. Luke and Nancy (Day) Taft had a son, Moses, who born in January 1812. Jerry Wheelock's daughter, Sylvia A Wheelock, then married Moses Taft
Moses Taft
Moses Taft 2nd was born at Uxbridge, Massachusetts. He was significant as an early American Industrialist and financier in the historic Blackstone Valley, and a member of the famous Taft family.-Birth parents and family:...
in 1834. Luke Taft
Luke Taft
Luke Taft was an industrial pioneer in the manufacture of woolens in 19th century New England.-Family:...
established a mill at the site in 1833, and Moses Taft, (Luke's son and Daniel Day's grandson) established what later became the larger Stanley Mill in 1852. Uxbridge was an early industrial center that played key roles in the early textile industry in America, pioneering satinets, cashmere
Cashmere
Cashmere may refer to:* Cashmere wool, wool from the Cashmere goatPlaces* Another term for Kashmir, a region of the Indian subcontinent* Cashmere, New Zealand, a suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand* Cashmere, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Australia...
s, blended fabrics, and power looms for woolens. Stanley Woolen Mill later would become a legacy of both the Taft and Wheelock families, continuing woolen and textile innovations of Uxbridge, begun by Jerry, Luke and their contemporaries. Stanley Woolen Mill became the first mill to offer complete vertical integration
Vertical integration
In microeconomics and management, the term vertical integration describes a style of management control. Vertically integrated companies in a supply chain are united through a common owner. Usually each member of the supply chain produces a different product or service, and the products combine to...
from raw materials to clothing. Stanley Woolen Mill, was a continuously operating family business, from 1833 at the present site, and from 1809, with its connections to Daniel Day.
Historic significance
Following the demise of the Blackstone CanalBlackstone Canal
The Blackstone Canal was a waterway linking Worcester, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island through the Blackstone Valley via a series of locks and canals during the early 19th century.-History:...
in 1847, Moses Taft
Moses Taft
Moses Taft 2nd was born at Uxbridge, Massachusetts. He was significant as an early American Industrialist and financier in the historic Blackstone Valley, and a member of the famous Taft family.-Birth parents and family:...
, a financier and industrialist, built his Central Woolen Mill on the banks of the former Canal, in 1852. His father, Luke Taft
Luke Taft
Luke Taft was an industrial pioneer in the manufacture of woolens in 19th century New England.-Family:...
, had built an earlier mill here in 1833. The Central Woolen (Moses Taft) mill ran round the clock during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Union Blue Uniforms were made at Central Woolen. By the mid 1850's the mills of Uxbridge, were producing 2.5 million yards (2 million square meters) of cloth yearly. Some of the earliest improvements of textiles, and their industrial processes occurred in the Uxbridge Mills including Central Woolen also known as Calumet Mill.
In later years, from 1903, the mill became known as Wheelock Mill or simply Stanley Woolen. In the later 20th century the mill buildings were designated as Contributing Structures to the Blackstone Canal National Historic District. While most of the mill's land was sold to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the state park, the buildings themselves continued in private hands because manufacturing continued. Tours of the working factory were intended to be a component of the Park's 'Farm to Factory' story.
Integrated operation from carding through spinning, dying and weaving ended soon after the Park opened, but small specialty weaving operations continued in a portion of the mill until 1998 when the deterioration of the buildings made them unusable. (See also links for the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
The John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a National Heritage Corridor dedicated to the history of the early American Industrial Revolution, including mill towns stretching across 24 cities and towns near the river's course in Worcester County, Massachusetts and...
).
While still in full operation the factory was used in the production of several movies including Oliver's Story
Oliver's Story
Oliver's Story is the sequel to the novel Love Story by Erich Segal, turned into a movie of the same name in 1978. It was directed by John Korty and starred Ryan O'Neal and Candice Bergen. The original music score was composed by Lee Holdridge and Francis Lai. Unlike the original film, Oliver's...
1978, and The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby is a novel by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. First published in1925, it is set on Long Island's North Shore and in New York City from spring to autumn of 1922....
1974. An antique store and antique refinishing shop maintained occupancy in a portion of the building. From 2005-2010 the main building and the attached brick and light frame structures have been under restoration funded by private investors to prepare them for retail and office re-use. The new uses were intended to complement regional and local efforts to develop tourism and new businesses.
With restoration of 419 surviving original 536 twelve-over-twelve windows and of 40 of 60 pairs of massive doors it is among the best preserved wooden structures of the old textile manufacturing era in Massachusetts.(
). The redevelopment has helped its preservation and had no negative environmental impacts on neighboring Federal or state parklands or the canal.
The Wheelock Family mill became known as one the longest-running family owned textile businesses in the USA, lasting over a century. Today its Berroco Inc. yarn distribution operation is headquartered nearby and traces its roots to Jerry Wheelock and the Stanley Woolen Mill.
The additional references cited below, as other references, add to the history of this site, and offer a pictorial overview. "The Stanley Mill Story" published recently by Deane Redevelopment, is cited first among "other references", and describes the possibility raised by economic historian Jill Dupree that the history of the Blackstone Canal
Blackstone Canal
The Blackstone Canal was a waterway linking Worcester, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island through the Blackstone Valley via a series of locks and canals during the early 19th century.-History:...
was one of rival industrialists using laws that encouraged transportation projects such as the Blackstone Canal
Blackstone Canal
The Blackstone Canal was a waterway linking Worcester, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island through the Blackstone Valley via a series of locks and canals during the early 19th century.-History:...
to wrest "water rights" from previous owners.
Moses Taft certainly took advantage of the collapse of the bankrupt Blackstone canal properties to acquire the Canal and use it as the mill race to power his mill on this site.
Citations from the Blackstone Daily
Uxbridge Walking Tour 146 Mendon is the site of the Stanley Woolen Mill, originally known as the Central Woolen Mill in Calumet Village. It is mostly vacant, yet a portion of the huge wooden buildings house a spacious antique store and is the subject of future visioning sessions by State, federal and local partnerships. In 1852, Moses Taft built the mill and leased it to Israel Southwick and Richard Sayles. During the Civil Way, 24 hour production of indigo blue uniform cloth was ongoing before the mill was sold to Robert and Jacob Taft in 1865. Soon after, they built a dam at Rice City Pond which considerably increased the water power. In 1866, an 80 hp steam engine was installed and production continued to rise dramatically as the mill started producing fancy cashmeres as the name changed to the Calumet Woolen Company. Arthur and Stanley Wheelock bought the mill after 1905 and during WWI, a half million yards of khaki for the US government was produced as well as cloth for the French and Italian governments. This was the longest-running family-owned woolen mill in the US until it closed in 1988.Continuation of Berroco Handknitting Yarns
Today Stanley Mill begun by the Uxbridge Wheelocks and Tafts in the 19th Century, continues under the name of Berrocco Inc, at nearby North Smithfield, RI.Stanley-Berrocco began as a subsidiary of Stanley Woolen Mill in 1968. The Berrocco Corporate site today is the same location as the former Scott Mill, and the original site of the Daniel Day
Daniel Day
Daniel Day was an American pioneer in woolen manufacturing.-Family:Daniel Day was born in Mendon, MA and was the son of Joseph Day and Deborah Taft...
mill of 1809, just a little bit downstream on the Blackstone River, from the Stanley Woolen Mill. Two centuries later in 2010, America's earliest textile history continues today in what is the center of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
The John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a National Heritage Corridor dedicated to the history of the early American Industrial Revolution, including mill towns stretching across 24 cities and towns near the river's course in Worcester County, Massachusetts and...
. Warren Wheelock, a descendent of Jerry Wheelock, leads this company today.
See also
- Wheelockville
- Central Woolen Mills DistrictCentral Woolen Mills DistrictThe Central Woolen Mills District is a historic district in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. On October 7, 1983, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The centerpiece of this historic district is the Stanley Woolen Mill, aka Central Woolen Mill, built by Moses Taft in 1852, and earlier...
- Taft FamilyTaft familyThe Taft family of the United States hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, with historic origins in Massachusetts; its members have served Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, and the United States in various positions, such as Governor of Ohio, Governor of Rhode Island, U.S. Senator , U.S...
- Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State ParkBlackstone River and Canal Heritage State ParkThe Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park is a part of the State Park system of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation...
- Blackstone River Valley National Heritage CorridorBlackstone River Valley National Heritage CorridorThe John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a National Heritage Corridor dedicated to the history of the early American Industrial Revolution, including mill towns stretching across 24 cities and towns near the river's course in Worcester County, Massachusetts and...
External links
- The Stanley Mill Story; Deane Redevelopment web published
- Deane Redevelopment, Stanley Mill - Shops and Studios 100,000 sq. ft. overlooking the Blackstone Canal, River and Park
- Stanley Woolen Mill by Carol Masiello; Publisher, Blackstone Daily
- Stanley Woolen Mill, Incorporated, 1903, A pictorial history
- Correspondence from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, pursuant to public parkland conversion requiring no environmental impact assessments. August 7, 2009