Located in the “quiet corner of Connecticut”, the textile mill of Samuel Slater is found in the village of Jewett City. With water privilege coming from the Pachaug River, Samuel Slater and his brother John, America’s best known figures in the establishment of this country’s cotton spinning industry, saw their textile industry flourish. Throughout the mid-nineteenth century, new structures were added so that by 1896, the company enjoyed the prosperity of its century long effort in spinning; the company operated over 700 looms, 19,000 spindles and employed 500 people. The Slater Mill (also known as Jewett City Cotton Manufacturing Company) was a major employer, and town manufacturer.

The oldest existing structure at the site is distinguished by its 150’ gable roof with a four story clock tower and dates from 1846 when the original wooden cotton mill was moved to what is now the Polish Hall on Factory Hill. The 2 1/2 story brick structure featured flat-arched window heads formed by a single soldier course, stone sills. In 1859 a three story brick structure was added to extend out another 130’ x 45’ at the west end of the site. During this construction period, “Lincoln Square” was conceived and developed as a community of 13 frame dwellings just southeast of the mill. Additional brick wings were added in the 1870’s and 1880’s to give the present “E” shape to the eight interconnected buildings. A separate ninth building of historic interest is located at the rear of the property.