Mill Conversion - Mill To Museum Conversion

Mill To Museum Conversion

The first successful textile mill in the United States was Slater Mill, established by Samuel Slater in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1793. With its significant historic value, the drive to restore Slater Mill into a public museum began during the mid-20th Century.

In 1976, Lowell Heritage State Park was established in Lowell, Massachusetts. In 1978, the United States Congress established Lowell National Historical Park and the Lowell Historic Preservation Commission. The legislation to create the park was sponsored by United States Senator and Lowell native Paul Tsongas. The restoration gathered momentum in the 1980s, including the renovation of the canals and former mill facilities into museums, as well as the construction of a waterfront walkway.

During the 1980s, with the example of Lowell's National Historic Park coming into fruition, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts established a series of Heritage State Parks throughout the state to celebrate and preserve the state's valuable historic (mostly industrial) history. Lawrence Heritage State Park, which occupies a former mill boardinghouse in the city's industrial canal district, is an excellent example.

In 1999, the former Arnold Print Works mills in North Adams, Massachusetts was converted into the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMOCA).

Not all historic mills can be successfully transformed into museums however, only with the few, most significantly historic ones has this been possible.