The Rhode Island System
Encyclopedia
The Rhode Island System refers to a system of mills, complete with small villages and farms, ponds, dams, and spillways first developed by Samuel Slater
and his brother John Slater
. The first Rhode Island Mill village planned was at Slatersville, RI in 1806. It was developed by John Slater with the help of his brother Samuel Slater, who had earlier built the first fully functional water powered textile mill in America at Pawtucket, RI, in 1790. The Blackstone River Valley of Massachusetts
and Rhode Island
consists of a series of historic mill villages that followed the Rhode Island system, and which gave birth to the American Industrial Revolution. Today the 45 mile stretch of river valley and the system of mills and villages is a national heritage corridor, The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
, that encompasses sections of two states. The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Heritage Corridor was the second heritage corridor of its type in the US national Park service, having been chartered first in 1986. See also, Waltham-Lowell system
Samuel Slater
Samuel Slater was an early English-American industrialist known as the "Father of the American Industrial Revolution", or the "Father of the American Factory System" because he brought British textile technology to America. He learned textile machinery as an apprentice to a pioneer in the British...
and his brother John Slater
John Slater
John Slater may refer to:Business and government*John Fox Slater , American philanthropist, son of John Slater *John Slater , father of John Fox Slater, brother and partner of Samuel Slater...
. The first Rhode Island Mill village planned was at Slatersville, RI in 1806. It was developed by John Slater with the help of his brother Samuel Slater, who had earlier built the first fully functional water powered textile mill in America at Pawtucket, RI, in 1790. The Blackstone River Valley of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
consists of a series of historic mill villages that followed the Rhode Island system, and which gave birth to the American Industrial Revolution. Today the 45 mile stretch of river valley and the system of mills and villages is a national heritage corridor, 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...
, that encompasses sections of two states. The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Heritage Corridor was the second heritage corridor of its type in the US national Park service, having been chartered first in 1986. See also, Waltham-Lowell system
Waltham-Lowell system
Waltham-Lowell System was a labor and production model employed in the United States, particularly in New England, during the early years of the American textile industry in the early 19th Century....