Rhode Island Mills and Mill Villages Photograph Collection

This collection is comprised of negatives, glossy photographic prints, and oversized photographic prints of mills and mill villages within Rhode Island. All of the photographs were taken by Joseph McCarthy as a Federal Works Agency project, a part of the WPA, in 1940 and given to the Providence Public Library as part of the Nickerson Architectural Collection that same year. A written reference work listing the prints and including an essay of the various architectural styles seen in the photographs was written by Samuel Green to accompany the collection and is held within the Rhode Island Collection.
This collection is part of Providence Public Library Digital Collections, hosted by Providence Public Library.

Items in this collection

Carolina. Mill House c. 1865

Carolina. Mill House c. 1865

Providence Public Library

Image shows mill housing built circa 1865 in the mill village of Carolina, which is in Charlestown and Richmond, Rhode Island.

Carolina. Mill Detail 1841

Carolina. Mill Detail 1841

Providence Public Library

Image shows detail on mill building built in 1841 in the mill village of Carolina, which is in Charlestown and Richmond, Rhode Island.

Carolina. Mill Cottage c. 1865

Carolina. Mill Cottage c. 1865

Providence Public Library

Image shows cottage built circa 1865 in the mill village of Carolina, which is in Charlestown and Richmond, Rhode Island. There are three children playing outside the cottage.

Carolina. Mill 1841

Carolina. Mill 1841

Providence Public Library

Image shows cluster of mill buildings built in 1841 in the mill village of Carolina, which is in Charlestown and Richmond, Rhode Island.

Carolina. Mill (detail) 1841

Carolina. Mill (detail) 1841

Providence Public Library

Image shows mill buildings built in 1841 in the mill village of Carolina, which is in Charlestown and Richmond, Rhode Island.

Canonchet. Mill 1870

Canonchet. Mill 1870

Providence Public Library

Image shows a mill built in 1870 in the mill village of Canonchet in Hopkinton, Rhode Island.

Bridgeton. Mill House c. 1855

Bridgeton. Mill House c. 1855

Providence Public Library

Image shows housing built circa 1855 in the mill village of Bridgeton in Burrillville, Rhode Island. The two visible exterior doors seem to be open, offering a view of the interior staircases. A dog looks to be lying in the left doorway.

Bridgeton. Mill House c. 1855

Bridgeton. Mill House c. 1855

Providence Public Library

Image shows housing built circa 1855 in the mill village of Bridgeton in Burrillville, Rhode Island. A car is parked at far left.

Bridgeton. Mill House c. 1855

Bridgeton. Mill House c. 1855

Providence Public Library

Image shows housing built circa 1855 in the mill village of Bridgeton in Burrillville, Rhode Island. A building with "Bridgeton Service Station" painted on its facade is in the background.

Berkeley. Village Street 1870s

Berkeley. Village Street 1870s

Providence Public Library

Image shows a sidewalk and housing built in the 1870s in the mill village of Berkeley in Cumberland, Rhode Island. Snow covers the ground.

Berkeley. View of Mill Village c. 1870

Image shows a row of housing built circa 1870 in the mill village of Berkeley in Cumberland, Rhode Island. The numeral 8 is over the doorway in the foreground.

Belleville. Mill Cottage c. 1810-15

Belleville. Mill Cottage c. 1810-15

Providence Public Library

Image shows two cottages built circa 1810-15 in the mill village of Belleville in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The facade and a side wall is visible on each cottage. There are two Adirondack-style chairs outside the cottage in the foreground.

Ashton. View of Mill Village c. 1870

Ashton. View of Mill Village c. 1870

Providence Public Library

Image shows housing built circa 1870 in the mill village of Ashton in Cumberland, Rhode Island. A church is on a hill in the background.

Ashaway. Old Mill c. 1810-20

Ashaway. Old Mill c. 1810-20

Providence Public Library

Image shows mill built circa 1810-20 in mill village of Ashaway in Hopkinton, Rhode Island. There's a footbridge to the building door that crosses a body of water.

Artic. Artic Mill 1851

Artic. Artic Mill 1851

Providence Public Library

Image shows a Arctic Mill built in 1851 in the mill village of Arctic in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Two signs on the building read "West Warwick Machine Shop".

Arctic. Mill House or Office c. 1840

Arctic. Mill House or Office c. 1840

Providence Public Library

Image shows a house or office built circa 1840 in the mill village of Arctic in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Sign over left door reads "Visiting Nurse and Anti Tuberculosis Asscon". There a car in the garage at far right.

Arcadia. Mill Village 1850s

Arcadia. Mill Village 1850s

Providence Public Library

Images shows a row of housing built in the 1850s in the mill village of Arcadia located in Richmond and Exeter, Rhode Island. A car is parked outside a building.

Arcadia. House 1860 Store 1870

Arcadia. House 1860 Store 1870

Providence Public Library

Image shows two buildings in the mill village of Arcadia in Exeter and Richmond in Rhode Island. The store in the background was built in 1870 and the house in the foreground was built in 1860. There are two children sitting in front of the house. There's a gasoline pump and three trucks by the store.

Alton. Mill House c. 1890

Alton. Mill House c. 1890

Providence Public Library

Image shows housing built circa 1890 in the mill village of Alton in Richmond, Rhode Island. There's a large pile of firewood against the side of the house. In front of the house are a rocking chair, a tricycle, and a few other items.

Allenton. Mill Village c. 1825-30

Allenton. Mill Village c. 1825-30

Providence Public Library

Image shows two houses of different styles built circa 1825-30 in the mill village of Allenton in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.

Allenton. Mill House c. 1810-20

Allenton. Mill House c. 1810-20

Providence Public Library

Image shows a house built circa 1810-1820 in the mill village of Allenton in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.

Allendale. Mill Office c. 1840

Allendale. Mill Office c. 1840

Providence Public Library

Image shows a mill office building built circa 1840 in the mill village of Allendale in North Providence, Rhode Island. There are cars parked in front of the building.

Allendale. Mill House 1823

Allendale. Mill House 1823

Providence Public Library

Image shows a house built in 1823 in the mill village of Allendale in North Providence, Rhode Island.

Allendale. Mill

Allendale. Mill

Providence Public Library

Image shows a mill in the village of Allendale in North Providence, Rhode Island.