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Overview of Manufacturing at Lower Yantic Falls
The first significant manufacturer at Yantic Falls was William C. Gilman. He opened a nail factory there in 1813. In 1823 Gilman joined with 5 others, including William P. Greene, to form the Thames Manufacturing Company. The company purchased Gilman’s nail factory and several more water privileges at the Falls and erected a large cotton mill. In 1829, the Thames Manufacturing Co. sold its cotton mill to the Norwich & New York Co.
By 1833, when the map below was produced, several manufacturers were operating at the Lower Falls site. They included the Norwich & New York Mfg. Co. cotton mill, Amos Hubbard’s paper mill, Gilman’s foundry and a rolling mill. Amos Hubbard’s brother, Russell, was operating a paper mill in the Upper Falls area at the time this map was produced.
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Map annotations added by IconicNorwich.org
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, pp 612-615
“A Sketch of Norwich from Actual Survey“, 1833, by William Lester
1778-179? Linseed Oil Mills
The first linseed oil production in Norwich began in 1748 on Bean Hill, and the first large-scale production of the oil commenced at Yantic Falls in 1778 by Elijah and Simon Lathrop. In October 1778 they gave notice in the New London Gazette that they had erected an oil mill at Norwich Falls and were ready to exchange a gallon of oil for a bushel of well-cleaned flaxseed.
Linseed Oil
Seeds of the flax plant have been used for a variety of purpose for thousands of years. The seeds contain both an oil that can be used to produce light and fiber that can be used to make paper or cloth. In the late 1700s the seeds were pressed and ground to extract the oil at Yantic Falls in Norwich.
The oil was likely used in oil burning lamps, as in important ingredient in wood-finishing products (i.e. stain and paint), and as a dietary supplement. The remaining linseed meal could be used for protein-rich feed for animals to make paper and cloth.
Today flaxseeds are highly regarded as a dietary supplement. Some call flaxseeds the most powerful plant food on the planet. They have been touted as reducing one’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and even diabetes. The oil also promotes healthy hair by nourishing hair follicle and encouraging growth.
In 1786 Silas Goodell also established a linseed oil mill near the falls.
In 1788 the Lathrop’s mill was destroyed by fire. The loss was estimated at $1500 ($45,000 in today’s dollars). Their mill was rebuilt the next year.
These mills could produce the best kind of oil, but, inferior kinds of seed were often substituted. Lathrop’s and Goodell’s two mills, combined with Tracy’s mill on Bean Hill, produced about 9,000 gallons of linseed oil per year and sold for 3-4 shillings (about $13 in today’s dollars) per gallon.
Acknowledgements
“Exploring the Last Green Valley: Flaxseed Oil Was Once Produced in Norwich”, 2013, by Charlene Perkins Cutler
“A Modern History of New London County Connecticut, Vol. 2”, (1922), page 148, by Benjamin Tinkham Marshall
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then entering “linseed oil” in the SEARCH box.
1813-1823 Iron & Nail Company
In May 1813 William C. Gilman purchased water rights at the Falls for the Iron and Nail Company. He immediately established a successful nailery at the site. In this factory the nails were cut by a newly-invented machine with great rapidity. Prior to 1800 nails were hand-made, one-by-one. An example of one of these nails is shown in the top of the figure on the left.
While the novelty lasted, visitors were attracted to the Falls to hear the clink of the machine and view the continual dropping of the nails. Gilman’s nails were of either Type A or Type B, shown on the left.
Acknowledgements
“A Modern History of New London County Connecticut, Volume 1”, page 151, (1922), by Benjamin Tinkham Marshall
“Nails: Clues to a Building’s Age”, by Thomas D. Visser
1818-1837 Amos Hubbard's Paper Mill
1833 Map of Lower Falls Area
Map annotations added by IconicNorwich.org
Amos Hubbard purchased a wooden building located at the Lower Falls from Andrew Huntington, General Jedediah Huntington’s second son, and Ebenezer Bushnell in 1818. Huntington and Bushnell erected the building in 1790. Bushnell and Amos’ father, Thomas Hubbard, published the Weekly Register and the Chelsea Courier in Norwich from 1790-1806. It is likely they made the paper for their newspaper in this building.
The location of Amos’s mill is shown on the 1833 map. The location of his brother’s mill, Russell Hubbard, is also shown on the map. Note that Russell’s mill is in the Upper Falls area and Amos’ is in the Lower Falls area.
In 1818, paper was made in the old way, not by machinery, but by hand, one sheet at a time. Amos Hubbard soon furnished his establishment with modern machinery.
Fourdrinier Paper-making Machine (1852)
In 1830 Hubbard successfully introduced a Fourdrinier’s machine into this mill. This was the first paper-making machine used in Norwich and Hubbard’s machine was the first Fourdrinier machine that was made in America. It dramatically reduced the time and labor needed to make paper.
Unfortunately, this mill was destroyed by fire in 1837. Soon thereafter, Amos and his brother Russell joined together and built a new, stone mill in the area that is identified as “Strong’s Woolen Mill” on the map shown above. A description of their new, stone mill, operated by the brothers is provided HERE.
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, page 613
“Map of New London County”, by Henry Francis Walling, 1854
“1852 Fourdrinier Machine”, published by prepresser.com
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then entering “Hubbard Paper” in the SEARCH box.
1823-1960
Cotton Mill at Lower Yantic Falls
1876 Map of Yantic Falls
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Map annotations added by IconicNorwich.org
Timeline for Cotton Mill at the Falls
1823 : Built by Thames Manufacturing Company
1823-1829: Operated by the Thames Manufacturing Co.
1829 : Sold to Norwich & New York Manufacturing Co.
1829-circa 1837 : Operated by Norwich & New York Manufacturing Company
1840 : William P. Greene’s company, the Norwich Falls Company (a.k.a. Falls Company) bought the mill
1840-1960 : Operated by the Falls Company
After the Panic of 1837 many manufacturing facilities throughout the country, including Norwich, experienced a major depression which lasted until the mid-1840s. Nearing in the end of this period, circa 1840, William P. Greene bought the cotton mill and the water privilege beneath the Lower Falls.
Falls Company Cotton Mill as seen in 1888
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After purchasing the failed Thames Manufacturing Company, Greene established, managed and directed the Falls Company Cotton Mill.
Around 1855 the Falls Company expanded when it built a brick-pier spinning mill. A smaller spinning mill, a dye house and a carding mill were also built in the mid-1850s.
In 1860 Falls Company employed 375 women and 125 men producing cheviots (a wool fabric), ticking (a durable material used to cover mattresses and pillows) and sheetings (awning cloth for store fronts). The Falls Company grew again, in 1860, when it purchased the Amos Hubbard Paper Mill.
By 1866, the Falls Company Cotton Mill had 15,000 spindles in operation and had grown to nearly three times its former size. It controlled nearly all the water-power of the Yantic River below the falls. In 1888 the mill had 23,000 spindles, employed 550 people, and produced an estimated 6,000,000 pounds of freight each year.
The Falls Company ceased its operations in the 1960s. The building sat empty for several years. In 1972 the old mill building was occupied by the Falls Corporation and the Instruteck Corporation, a vinyl record making company founded in 1969. In 1980 the mill building was converted to residential condominiums.
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, pp 613, 615
“Norwich Connecticut: Its Importance as a Business and Manufacturing Centre and as a Place of Residence”, 1888, page 18
“City of Norwich, Conn.”, 1876, by O. H. Bailey
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then entering “cotton mill” in the SEARCH box.
1837-1860 Hubbard Brothers Paper Mill
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The 1854 map shown above identifies the location of the Hubbard brothers paper mill built in 1837 as the “R. and A. H. Hubbard’s Paper Mill”. This new mill was built of stone and used modern paper-making machinery. It replaced Amos Hubbard’s 1818-1837 paper mill, that was made of wood and had burned down.
From 1837 to 1857 Russell and Amos owned two paper mills, this one in the Lower Falls area, and the one in the Upper Falls area that Russell had previously operated, without his brother. It is almost certain that paper from this mill was used to print the local Norwich newspaper.
From 1806-1822 Russell Hubbard also owned the local newspaper, the Norwich Courier. And, before him, his father, Thomas Hubbard, published the Weekly Courier, the Weekly Register, the Chelsea Courier, and the Courier newspapers in Norwich from 1790-1807. Today’s, The Bulletin, is a direct descendant from the Hubbards’ newspapers. To learn more about the history of Norwich newspapers click HERE.
Upon Russell Hubbard’s death in 1857, Amos became the sole proprietor of the paper mills. By then, the company was specializing in the production of colored end papers for books.
In 1860 Amos Hubbard sold his Yantic Falls water rights and mills at the Falls to Charles A. Converse’s Falls Company. The water rights were soon thereafter used by Converse’s Commonwealth Works. Hubbard then removed his paper-making business to Greeneville on the Shetucket River.
Acknowledgements
“Genealogy and Biographical Record of New London County Connecticut”, 1905, pp 19-20, by J. H. Beers
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, page 613
“Map of New London County”, by Henry Francis Walling, 1854
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then entering “Hubbard Paper” in the SEARCH box.