A Little History
The Windham Mills buildings have a long and prestigious history and at one time housed the largest cotton mill in the world. Built from granite quarried from the Willimantic River behind the buildings, the first mills were built in 1854 by three men: Dunham, Ives and Capen. These men founded the Willimantic Linen Company, which was originally opened as a linen factory, but quickly converted to cotton spinning. The Willimantic Linen Company dammed waters upstream to create lakes that would ensure continuous water power. The river today continues to be one of the greatest assets for Windham Mills and provides outstanding views.
The Willimantic Linen Company produced over a thousand different cotton/thread products—everything from the strings on tea bags to the red thread used to stitch baseballs. At the peak of their production in the 1890s, they were the largest employer in Connecticut, employing 3,200 workers, and produced 85,000 miles of thread each day—enough to wrap around the world three times! They were one of the largest producers of cotton thread in the world, and gave Willimantic its nickname as “Thread City,” a name that is still remembered today.
One of the mills on the Windham Mills site, Mill No. 4, was the first mill in the world to be illuminated by electric lighting—a task that was Thomas Edison’s first paying job. He worked to install the “knob and tube wiring” of the type that is still visible in parts of the facility. The Mill was the first company in the world to run a second shift under electric light. To facilitate the electric lights, the belts that drove the mill machinery were moved to a shaft beneath the floorboards. This also helped to create a quieter and safer mill floor for the workers.
In 1898 the English Sewing Company purchased the Willimantic Linen Company, and formed the American Thread Company (ATCO), which remains British-owned today. The American Thread Mill flourished well into the 20th century; waves of immigrant groups came to work in the mills, and many stayed in Willimantic to make their homes and raise their families. Today, the Town of Windham boasts over 30 different ethnic groups, making a very culturally diverse and interesting community.
The American Thread Mill, like other Connecticut manufacturers, experienced a decline in the mid-1900s and was lured to the south by lower costs. In 1985, the American Thread Company vacated the Mills completely and moved its operations to North Carolina, leaving behind a legacy started by three men in the mid-1800s and leaving for us the beautiful granite and stone buildings that once again will flourish and experience the renaissance known at the Windham Mills Technology Center!
Information obtained from Windham Mills