History Of The Lymansville Mill

whole function by allowing them to go from raw wool to the finished clothing and, therefore, the Lymansville Mill would be able to operate even when profits were very slim, unlike the non-integrated mills of the time. However, Peck failed to realize that integration had always been a part of the Lymansville Mill, as Albert Sack had set the factory up to produce finished garments, and as such, these changes did very little to modernize the operations of the mill. This huge investment came at the decline of the woolen and worsted industry as new and cheaper cloths, such as wool blends and synthetic clothes, were being to be developed. Thus, though in 1954 he had added 650 workers to the mill, by the late 1950’s the mill floundered and suffered
What is the significance of this mill in particular? The Lymansville mill is perhaps the best physical representation of the 70-year rise and decline of the woolen worsted industry in Providence, an industry that quickly overtook the long-dominant cotton manufacturing, to become a major factor in the state’s already prominent textile economy. Worsted yarn was very different than the traditional spun yarn at the beginning of the 20th century, in that the fibres from the wool in worsted products are arranged by either length, as in the English and Bradford systems, employed by the Lymansville mill, or by fineness, as in the French and Continental systems, employed by most Woonsocket mills, instead of being spun together regardless of such differences. Because of this, the worsted process produces a much higher quality cloth that is smoother and lighter than regular wool. The process began in England in the early 1800’s and began to make its way to America as more manufactures relocated to America seeking greater financial gains. By 1830, the United States had established the New England region as a leader in the worsted goods industry, with one of the first mills being the Valley Worsted Mill, Providence founded in 1842 by James Giles. For nearly 20 years the industry remained profitable, yet not prominent in America, however, in 1867 the Paris Exhibition and in 1876 the centennial celebrated in Philadelphia heavily promoted worsted cloth. The production of worsted materials in New England exploded and by 1870, there were 11 mills dedicated to its manufacture in Rhode Island alone. The industry continued to grow in Rhode Island until the late 19th-century to become the largest industry within the state and the third largest industry in the United States, with over 51 mills and approximately 14,896 employees. The highest concentration of these mills was found in Providence, which quickly became the leading manufacturing