00:00:00:00 - 00:00:25:22
Unknown
This stone building was constructed for the Wilkinson family of Pawtucket around 1810. The machine shop on the first floor of the building is considered one of the most important incubators for industrial technology in the early United States. It is 70ft long, 30ft wide, and is still full of machines. This floor is currently set up as an exhibit space to show and reflect the shop's history as an historic school for machinists.

00:00:25:24 - 00:00:48:03
Unknown
Originally, the machine shop ran off water power. Now, when the water wheel is not running, there is electricity, so the machines can still be demonstrated. There is one long aisle down the middle of the shop, with alcoves and machines to the left and right, shafts with belts run along the ceiling to bring power to the various machines. In the early days, the purpose of the building was twofold.

00:00:48:06 - 00:01:11:08
Unknown
Workers inside would make parts and machines on one floor and run textile machines on the other. The industry in Pawtucket began with a number of small mill operations up and down the river. Özil Wilkinson, who lived from 1744 to 1815, was a second generation blacksmith. He moved south to the village in the 1780s to run a rolling and slitting mill.

00:01:11:10 - 00:01:46:12
Unknown
He worked with iron to make small, useful things such as nails and screws, as well as important instruments for commerce, including anchors and shovels. Özil kept business in the family and then 1790s Ozil and his son David Wilkinson, who lived from 1771 to 1852, became involved in the fabrication of parts and machines for Samuel Slater. Samuel Slater managed the mill located next to the falls in Pawtucket, and in 1791 Samuel married Ozil's daughter, Hannah Wilkinson, who lived from 1774 to 1812.

00:01:46:14 - 00:02:13:17
Unknown
Working together, Slater and his in-laws served as leaders in the new age of American industry. The significance of this area lies not just in the success of the first cotton spinning mill, but in the coordination of efforts among many workers who came together to make Pawtucket a community of innovation. The Wilkinsons can be thought of as makers of machinery, but they were also trailblazers, and numerous accounts suggest extremely generous people in terms of sharing their talents.

00:02:13:23 - 00:02:40:15
Unknown
David invested considerable time and energy into making more perfect screws by making a lathe with more sophisticated screw cutting capacity locally. He also worked to cultivate talent among craftsmen, training innumerable people, and the art of machine making. Boys could become apprentices in the shop beginning around age 15. For years, David and his father Ozil were at the center of a busy hive of industry and inspiration.

00:02:40:17 - 00:03:08:11
Unknown
This shop is a place where countless people have learned and collaborated while exploring this machine shop exhibit. Consider the sounds that workers may have encountered as belts, gears and shafts turned above them. There would also be the noises, smells, and chaotic sight of other workers, as Wilkinson usually employed 15 to 20 hands in the shop alone. Below the main floor of the mill is the waterwheel, which sits inside a stone wall room that is 40 by 30ft.

00:03:08:13 - 00:03:30:17
Unknown
The wheel that would be turned by water diverted by a Slater dam would also rotate a main shaft, which would then be used to power the machines above using a series of shafts, belts and gears. The Wilkinson name has not lived on the same level of fame as others in the industry. Following a personal and national financial crisis, David Wilkinson left Pawtucket in the late 1820s.

00:03:30:22 - 00:04:01:20
Unknown
He later died in New York State, and the importance of this building to local history and to American machinist generally, was unfortunately forgotten for many years. The old Slater Mill Association was formed in 1921 to preserve the historic yellow mill managed by Samuel Slater, who lived from 1768 to 1835 to provide additional context for the mill. The old Slater Mill Association acquired the Wilkinson Mill and had a historical house moved onto the property in the 1960s.

00:04:01:24 - 00:04:27:16
Unknown
During a period of urban renewal in the city of Pawtucket. The machine shop was added as an exhibit to complement tours of Old Slater Mill and the Sylvanus Brown House. In 1973. After undertaking extensive archeological work and historical research, experts recreated the building's water power system. The wooden water in the lower of the building can once again be used to generate power for the machinery in the shop.

00:04:27:22 - 00:04:44:12
Unknown
For over 200 years, people have been drawn to the story of technological development within the Wilkinson Mill. While much has changed inside this building since 1811, one thing that has stayed the same is the fact that at least some of the power in this building has always come from people.

 

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:27:02
Unknown
The virtual tour of Wilkinson Mill opens with a view of the interior of the machine shop from the street side of the main room. There are tools laid out on benches to the right, a rocking chair next to a stove, and larger machines running down the center of the right side of the room. There are brick and wooden pillars on the left, and a drill press and pipes and NCP logos are in the upper right of the screen, and the name Wilkinson Mill is in the bottom center.

00:00:27:06 - 00:00:49:00
Unknown
This stone building was constructed for the Wilkinson family of Pawtucket around 1810. The machine shop on the first floor of the building is considered one of the most important incubators for industrial technology in the early United States. It is 70ft long, 30ft wide, and is still full of machines. We passed down the center aisle and pan from left to right.

00:00:49:02 - 00:01:09:06
Unknown
Benches line the far wall to the left below white wooden windows. Storage cabinets are against the walls between the windows. Machining equipment. Stations are set up close to the pillars to the left of the main aisle. Large threading equipment and drills are on the right side of the aisle, and benches lie on the far right wall with cubbies and cabinets above them.

00:01:09:12 - 00:01:31:15
Unknown
This floor is currently set up as an exhibit space to show and reflect the shops history as an historic school for machinists. Originally, the machine shop ran off water power. Now, when the water wheel is not running, there is electricity, so the machines can still be demonstrated. There is one long aisle down the middle of the shop, with alcoves and machines to the left and right.

00:01:31:17 - 00:01:55:21
Unknown
Shafts with belts run along the ceiling to bring power to the various machines. Moving further down the length of the room. We paused to look into another alcove on the left, lined with benches and equipment. In the center of this alcove is the bobbin lathe. In the early days, the purpose of the building was twofold. Workers inside would make parts and machines on one floor and run textile machines on the other.

00:01:55:23 - 00:02:21:07
Unknown
The industry in Pawtucket began with a number of small mill operations up and down the river. Ozil Wilkinson, who lived from 1744 to 1815, was a second generation blacksmith. He moved south to the village in the 1780s to run a rolling and slitting mill. He worked with iron to make small, useful things such as nails and screws, as well as important instruments for commerce, including anchors and shovels.

00:02:21:09 - 00:02:52:20
Unknown
Özil kept business in the family. In the 1790s, Ozil and his son David Wilkinson, who lived from 1771 to 1852, became involved in the fabrication of parts and machines for Samuel Slater. Samuel Slater managed the mill located next to the falls in Pawtucket, and in 1791 Samuel married Ozil's daughter, Hannah Wilkinson, who lived from 1774 to 1812. Working together, Slater and his in-laws served as leaders in the new age of American industry.

00:02:53:00 - 00:03:14:22
Unknown
The significance of this area lies not just in the success of the first cotton spinning mill, but in the coordination of efforts among many workers who came together to make Pawtucket a community of innovation. The Wilkinsons can be thought of as makers of machinery, but they were also trailblazers, and numerous accounts suggest extremely generous people in terms of sharing their talents.

00:03:15:03 - 00:03:40:21
Unknown
David invested considerable time and energy into making more perfect screws by making a lathe with more sophisticated screw cutting capacity. Locally, he also worked to cultivate talent among craftsmen, training innumerable people in the art of machine making. Boys could become apprentices in the shop beginning around age 15 for years. David and his father Ozil were at the center of a busy hive of industry and inspiration.

00:03:40:23 - 00:04:05:22
Unknown
This shop is a place where countless people have learned and collaborated while exploring this machine shop exhibit. Consider the sounds that workers may have encountered as belts, gears and shafts turned above them. There would also be the noises, smells, and chaotic sight of other workers, as Wilkinson usually employed 15 to 20 hands in the shop alone. We exit the mill at the door closest to the river and go downstairs.

00:04:05:24 - 00:04:27:10
Unknown
Across from Wilkinson Mill is a red colonial home called the Sylvanus Brown House, and a pale yellow wooden building known as Slater Mill. Wilkinson and Slater Mills share a raceway for water from the Blackstone River. We pan to the right and go down another half flight of stairs to reenter Wilkinson Mill and see the water wheel on the left.

00:04:27:16 - 00:04:50:05
Unknown
Below the main floor of the mill is the water wheel, which sits inside a stone wall room that is 40 by 30ft. The wheel that would be turned by water diverted by Slater Dam would also rotate a main shaft, which would then be used to power the machines above using a series of shafts. Belts and gears. The Wilkinson name has not lived on the same level of fame as others in the industry.

00:04:50:07 - 00:05:16:23
Unknown
Following a personal and national financial crisis, David Wilkinson left Pawtucket in the late 1820s. He later died in New York State, and the importance of this building to local history and to American machinist generally was unfortunately forgotten for many years. The Old Slater Mill Association was formed in 1921 to preserve the historic yellow mill managed by Samuel Slater, who lived from 1768 to 1835.

00:05:17:04 - 00:05:37:17
Unknown
We walk around the water wheel and go out a small service store on the far side to stand out above the raceway to provide additional context for the mill. The old Slater Mill Association acquired the Wilkinson Mill and had a historical house moved onto the property. In the 1960s, during a period of urban renewal in the city of Pawtucket.

00:05:37:19 - 00:06:04:09
Unknown
The machine shop was added as an exhibit to complement tours of Old Slater Mill and the Sylvanus Brown House in 1973. We skim across the raceway toward the river and turn back to look at Wilkinson Mill. After undertaking extensive archeological work and historical research, experts recreated the building's water power system. The wooden water wheel in the lower of the building can once again be used to generate power for the machinery in the shop.

00:06:04:14 - 00:06:29:23
Unknown
For over 200 years, people have been drawn to the story of technological development within the Wilkinson Mill. While much has changed inside this building since 1811, one thing that has stayed the same is the fact that at least some of the power in this building has always come from people. Text has scrolled up onto the screen that reads, the National Center for Preservation, Technology and Training Project lead Jason Church.

00:06:30:02 - 00:06:44:15
Unknown
Scanning Catherine Cooper. Video production. Isabella Jones, script by Alison Horrocks. Narration by Jackson Chambers in collaboration with Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park.