History
Isaac Sloat, son of original Sloatsburg settler William, built the original stone dam across the Ramapo in 1792 to power a sawmill and tannery. Two other millers soon followed, above and below the present dam. Sloat's son Jacob reinforced the dam with concrete in 1815 before expanding the mill to produce textiles.
His business prospered, helped in later decades by the nearby route of the New York and Erie Railroad, and he expanded the mill several times before retiring in 1851. The Sloatsburg Manufacturing Company, which took over from him, again expanded the mill six years later, in 1857.
In 1878 it went bankrupt as a delayed result of the Panic of 1873. A new owner, William McCullough, took it over four years later and began producing silk. Around 1900 the mill became part of the property of Cappamore, the estate of Nicholas Brown, which overlooked Sloatsburg from the east. The stone gateposts were built at this time. Shortly afterwards, the flood of 1903, which wiped out the other two dams in the area, severely damaged the mill's infrastructure and it had to shut down.
The Ramapo Piece and Dye Works took over in 1907 and made the first renovations in nearly a century. They built the stone sluice gate on the site of the original wooden one, in cobblestone similar to that used on the gateposts. At this time it seems that they also shored up the dam.
In 1931, what was now called the Ramapo Finishing Company tore down the older sections of the factory. They continued to use the rest of it until it was severely damaged in a 1955 fire. The year after, Cappamore was demolished as part of the Thruway construction. The remaining mill buildings themselves were leveled in 1966 for a redevelopment that was never completed and the race was filled in after a drowned death in the remaining water.
The mill property, and some other riverfront acreage, was acquired by the county in the late 20th century. It and the Sloatsburg Historical Society have been working to develop it as part of the 45-acre (18 ha) Eleanor Burlingham Memorial Park, meant primarily for passive recreation. Currently there is the marker at the gateposts and a short walking trail to the dam from there.
Read more about this topic: Sloat's Dam And Mill Pond
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