Pawtucket Hair Cloth Mill //1864

Despite its name, this handsome mill structure, known as the Pawtucket Hair Cloth Mill, is actually located in Central Falls, Rhode Island. The building, located on Roosevelt Avenue on the banks of the Blackstone River, is a great example of a Civil War-era mill, built for one of the many wool and cloth companies in New England. Begun in a small factory across the street in 1856, this business became successful after the acquisition of patents for weaving haircloth (most of the raw material for which originally came from Russian horse markets) for upholstery, crinolines, and inner linings. The company is said to have once been the largest producer of haircloth in the world. The Italianate style mill stands pretty much as built, besides the tower that has lost its low pyramidal cap. The building was one of the first commissions by great Rhode Island architect, William Walker, who was just 34 at the time of designing this large, and complicated structure.

George Hail Free Library // 1888

Nearly every New England town has a library, and some are lucky enough to have a historic library building! Warren, Rhode Island’s library was established in 1871 as the Warren Public Reading Room Association in a second floor room inside a commercial building. In 1882, Martha Hail in her will, made a substantial contribution to the library association on behalf of her late  husband, George Hail. Constructed in 1888 and dedicated in January 1889, the Romanesque Revival style building was designed by Providence architectural firm of William Walker and Sons, the building cost just over $16,000 was constructed of granite.