What Is the Slatersville?
This was America’s first planned mill village!
What Makes It Historical?
With Samuel Slater’s mill up and running, the time had come to expand the enterprise, and what better opportunity than the arrival of a sibling?! John Slater followed his brother to Rhode Island in 1803 and got the task of finding a site for another mill. He found one, about 19 miles north at a place called Buffam’s Mills, and on July 4, 1807, the Slaters’ second mill opened for business!
Because this location was more remote than Pawtucket, the Slaters needed to keep a steady supply of workers nearby, so they designed a mill village with housing, a church, and a company store. It turned out to be a smash success, and Slatersville proved to enterprising mill owners everywhere that a successful mill could open practically anywhere on the Blackstone River! It would forever change the face of this river valley!
Slatersville continued to be Slater-owned and operated all the way until 1900 when the family sold to James Hooper, who sold to Henry Kendall in 1915. Henry Kendall made it his mission to beautify Slatersville, and to do so, he painted the houses different colors, had porches and porticos added, and planted lots of trees! Though it stopped being a company town in 1954, Slatersville has kept up its relationship to history in its layout and repurposing of the mill properties. Today, the old mill is an apartment complex!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Volunteer with the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor!
- Donate to the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
10 Railroad St
North Smithfield, RI 02876
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit the Park?
There are no visitor hours here, but you can stroll around the historic structures at leisure!
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