National Register of Historic Places

Wampanoag Mills

Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts
Listed
February 16, 1983
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
83000729

About this property

Wampanoag Mills is a historic textile mill complex located at 420 Quequechan Street in Fall River, Massachusetts. Built beginning in 1871, it is a large and well-preserved example of granite textile mill construction. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The Wampanoag Mills are prominently situated at the corner of Quequechan and Alden Streets in central Fall River. Its buildings are located just northwest of the western junction of Interstate 195 and Massachusetts Route 24, with the two five-story main mill buildings highly visible from those roads. The complex has a large number of buildings, many attached to or part of the main buildings. The western building includes Mill Number 1 and the weave shed, while the eastern building consists of Mill Number 2 with a number of smaller attachments. Between the two there are two small storage buildings, one granite and the other wood-frame. The Wampanoag Mills company was formed in 1871 for the manufacture of cotton textiles. Mill No. 1 was built on Quequechan Street in 1872 from native Fall River granite. Mill No. 2 was constructed in 1877, with access from Alden Street, increasing total capacity to 45,500 spindles. The mills were steam-powered. An attached two-story weave shed was also added to Mill No. 1. The mills closed in 1929. In the 1980s, Mill No. 1 became part of the Fall River factory outlet district, and contained numerous small retail shops. This mill has since been renovated into senior apartments. A cultural center remains within the former weave shed attached to the north end of Mill No. 1. Mill No. 2 formerly contained Fall River Knitting Mills (later known as Northeast Knitting Mills). On the evening of April 16, 2010, a fire of suspicious origin broke out in a storage building next to the mills, formerly occupied by Parker's Candies. National Register of Historic Places listings in Fall River, Massachusetts

Location

Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts
41.68910, -71.13824

Categories

INDUSTRYARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Wampanoag Mills

This page lists Wampanoag Mills. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Wampanoag Mills report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Flint Mills
Industrial
0.1 mi
Barnard Mills
Industrial
0.2 mi
Greany Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
Hargraves Mill No. 1
Industrial
0.3 mi
Notre Dame School
Industrial
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Mount Hope Bay Raids (1778)
1778Revolutionary War
4.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Wampanoag Mills listed on the National Register?

Wampanoag Mills was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 16, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Wampanoag Mills?

Wampanoag Mills is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Wampanoag Mills?

The period of significance for Wampanoag Mills is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Wampanoag Mills?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Wampanoag Mills will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Bristol County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Bristol County.

Explore BristolCounty ›

More historic places in Massachusetts

Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.

View Massachusettshistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Massachusetts history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Massachusettshistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Wampanoag Mills will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report