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Cotton Mills of Dover, N.H. Exhibit Materials, 1815-1937

Exhibit Materials, 1986-1987

VC 88

1 box, 2 binders

About the Cotton Mills of Dover, N.H., 1815-1937

Along with Taunton, Lowell, and Fall River, all in Massachusetts, Dover, New Hampshire pioneered the large-scale printing of cotton fabric in the 1820s. Dover’s first mill was built in 1815 on the Upper Falls of the Cocheco River. The Cocheco Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1827, and new management brought tighter rules for employees, resulting in 1828 in the first women’s strike in the United States.

The Cocheco Manufacturing Co. became a force in American textile manufacturing, and in the 1870s the water wheels were replaced by modern turbines and the original mill structures renovated. However, like other northern textile mills, Dover experienced a decline in the early 1900s. The Cocheco Manufacturing Company was bought out in 1909 by the Pacific Mills Co., which discontinued all operations in Dover in 1937.

For additional information on the Dover mills, see Cathleen Beaudoin’s article “A Yarn To Follow” and others at Dover Public Library’s website.

About the Cotton Mills of Dover, N.H. Collection

This collection contains copy negatives and contact prints of the photographs lent to the UNH Library by the Dover Public Library and Mr. Robert Whitehouse for use in a summer 1986 exhibit entitled “Promise For A Future of Prosperity: The Cotton Mills of Dover, N.H.” Also included in this collection are the background materials used by Jody Fernald and Terri MacGregor in researching the subject prior to the exhibit.

Folder Listing:

  1. Explanatory Material
  2. Contact Prints
  3. Documents and Reproductions
  4. Newspapers
  5. Brochures
  6. Book and magazine excerpts on cotton mills in General
  7. Copy Negatives

I. Explanatory Material

BINDER 1
1. Permission letter from the Dover Public Library for UNH to make copies of the photographs borrowed from them for the Summer 1986.
2. August 13, 1986 press release about the exhibit.
3. Exhibit “blurbs.”

II. Contact Prints

BINDER 1
e.001-002 “Cocheco Manufacturing Co., Dover, N.H. Lawrence & Co., Selling Agents D. H. Hurd & Co., Publishers, Boston.” Architectural sketch of the mills complex.
e.003 “Pacific Mills ‘Cocheco Dept.’ (Cotton Mill and Print Works) Dover, N. H.” Architectural sketch of the mills complex. Architectural sketch of the mills complex.
e.004-009 Aerial views of the various mill buildings.
e.010-011 Distant views of the mill buildings and Cocheco River.
e.012 “Central Square ca. 1909.”
e.013-014 Demolition/ Reconstruction.
e.015-018 Cocheco River and dam.
e.019-020 Bridge over the Cocheco River.
e.021-025 Postcards of the mill complex.
e.026-028 Early transportation of goods.
e.029-033 Mill people.
e.034-043 Mill interiors.
e.044-048 During the 1907 fire.
e.049-064 After the 1907 fire.
e.065-066 Interior after the 1907 fire.
2. Copies of above reproduced photographs appearing in newspaper articles (011, 028).
3. Copy of stereopticon views in the order in which the Dover Public Library has them arranged on their panel (035-043).
4. Newspaper articles and typescripts borrowed from Robert Whitehouse:
“Recalling when Cotton was King.”
“Bellamy Falls and Mills 1649-1916.”
“Sawyer Woolen Mills, 1824 – .” “American Woolen Co.”
“History of the Cocheco Mills” by Gisella Mennel.
“Mrs. Burn’s story.”
“Upper Factory.”
“Upper Factory – Mrs. Courser’s story.”
“John Williams – founder of the Dover Cotton Manufacturing Industry.”
“The Early Career of John P. Hale”
“An Act to enlarge the capital of the Dover Cotton Factory and Alter the Name thereof.”
“Captain Moses Paul.”
“Factory Corner Stones” (also news article with picture of the many cornerstones).
“Cocheco Department of the Pacific Mills – 1916.”
“Dover Cotton Factory’s Wood Yard.”
“Cocheco Print Works 1827-1909.”

III. Documents and Reproductions

1. 1903/ and 1905 letters regarding the Velvet/Velveteen production in Dover.
2. 1922 children’s playground.

IV. Newspapers

Fosters Daily Democrat, May 2, 1956 on the 1907 Fire.
“Cocheco Print Works” by James E.Bressor.
“Sawyer Woolen Mills.”
Transcript, May 20, 1986 – Dover’s renewal.
Fosters Daily Democrat, May 22, 1986 on the new facility.
Fosters Daily Democrat, January 24, 1987. p. 5. “Dover’s Oil Soaked Mill Floors not a Fire Hazard.”
Fosters Daily Democrat. “ShowCase,” January 29, 1987. Part 4 of The Mills Come To Dover.
Fosters Daily Democrat. “ShowCase,” February 12, 1987. Part 6 of The Mills Come To Dover.

V. Brochures

l. Heritage Walking Tours brochures 1979-1983, June 1984, June 1985.
2. Cocheco Falls Mill Works glossy brochures.
3. Friends of the University Library. Notes. no. 13.

VI. Book and Magazine Excerpts on Cotton Mills in General

BINDER 2
Abbott, Edith. Women in Industry. D. Appleton, 1910. p. 88-91, 108-147, 374-379.
Annett, Albert. History of Jaffrey, N.H., Vol. I, 1937. p. 384-391.
Baxandall, Rosalyn et al. America’s Working Women. Vintage Books. “The Strike, or Turn-out” [1820] p.57-60.
Bayles, George James. Woman and the Law. Century Co., 1901. p. 260-261.
Bell, Charles H. History of Exeter. Heritage Books, 1979. p. 332-333.
Chandler, Charles H. The History of New Ipswich, 1735-1914. p. 144-147.
Clark, Victor S. History of Manufactures in the United States, 1860-1914. 1928.
Dover, N. H. Centennial Celebration. “Some Disastrous Fires in Dover, N. H.” p. 51.
The Factory Girls, edited by Philip S. Foner. University of Illinois Press, 1977. p. 4-15,126-127, 266-273, 342-349.
The Factory Girls Garland, Vol. I no. 19, September 14, 1844.
Friedman, Jean E. Our American Sisters: Women in American Life and Thought. Allyn and Bacon. p. 82-95.
Granite Monthly, Vol. 55 no. 8. August 1923. “How Dover Grew” 4pp.
Hadley, George P. History of Goffstown, N. H. 1733-1920., Vol. I. p. 324-329.
Hanaford, Mary E. Neal. Annals of Meredith, N.H. 1932, p. 20-21, 252-253.
Hareven, Tamara K. Amoskeag. Pantheon Books, p. 114, 120-121, 214-215,235-235, 266-267, 391-395.
Josephson, Hannah. The Golden Threads., Russell and Russell. p. 100-101, 228-249, 310-317.
Journal of Economic and Business History. Vol. II, 1930. p. 685-705. “Early Factory Magazines in New England” by Bertha Monica Stearns.
Keene History Committee. “Upper Ashuelot”: A History of Keene, N.H. 1968. p. 464-467.
Moore, F. A. Gems For You: From New Hampshire Authors. Fisk, 1850. p. 222-225.
Nye, A. E. G. Dover, N.H. Its History and Industries, 1898. Abstracts.
Old New England, p. 39-51. “The ‘Great Factory’ at Dover, N.H.: The Dover Manufacturing Company Print Works, 1825″ by Richard Candee.
Pillsbury, Hobart. New Hampshire, Vol. IV, 1927. p. 1224-1225.
Scales, John. Historical Memoranda Concerning Persons and Places in Old Dover, N. H., 1900. p. 418-421.
Scoresby, William. American Factories and Their Female Operatives. Burt Franklin, 1968. p. 1-136.
Speare, Eva A. Stories of New Hampshire, 1975. p. 156-159.
Sumner, Helen L. History of Women in Industry in the United States, Vol. I, p. 291-297.
Thompson, Mary P. Landmarks in Ancient Dover, 1892. Abstracts.
USWPA American Guide Series. New Hampshire. 1938. p. 54-57, 140-145, 148-151.
Wadleigh, George. Notable Events in the History of Dover, NH 1913, pp. 200-203, 210-215, 220-223, 234-235, 240-241, 246-249, 254-255, 260-261, 266-277, 278-279. Plus abstracts.
Ware, Caroline F. The Early New England Cotton Manufacture. Houghton-Mifflin, 1931. p. 16-17, 26-27, 36-37, 80-83, 88-89, 94-95, 98-90, 116-117, 134-135, 144-149, 180-183, 198-205, 220-221, 246-247, 246-247, 256-257, 264-265, 270-275.
Weiner, Lynn Y. From Working Girl to Working Mother. University of North Carolina, p. 16-19.
Wheeler, Edmund. The History of Newport…1766-1868. p. 90-101, 104-109.

VII. Copy Negatives

BOX 1
e.001 “Cocheco Manufacturing Co., Dover, N.H. Lawrence & Co., Selling Agents D. H. Hurd & Co., Publishers, Boston.” Architectural sketch of the mills complex.
e.002 “Cocheco Manufacturing Co., Dover, N.H. Lawrence & Co., Selling Agents D. H. Hurd & Co., Publishers, Boston.” Architectural sketch of the mills complex.
e.003 “Pacific Mills ‘Cocheco Dept.’ (Cotton Mill and Print Works) Dover, N. H.” Architectural sketch of the mills complex.
e.004 Aerial views of the various mill buildings.
e.005 Aerial views of the various mill buildings.
e.006 Aerial views of the various mill buildings.
e.007 Aerial views of the various mill buildings.
e.008 Aerial views of the various mill buildings.
e.009 Aerial views of the various mill buildings.
e.010 Distant views of the mill buildings and Cocheco River.
e.011 Distant views of the mill buildings and Cocheco River.
e.012 “Central Square ca. 1909.”
e.013 Demolition/ Reconstruction.
e.014 Demolition/ Reconstruction.
e.015 Cocheco River and dam.
e.016 Cocheco River and dam.
e.017 Cocheco River and dam.
e.018 Cocheco River and dam.
e.019 Bridge over the Cocheco River.
e.020 Bridge over the Cocheco River.
e.021 Postcards of the mill complex.
e.022 Postcards of the mill complex.
e.023 Postcards of the mill complex.
e.024 Postcards of the mill complex.
e.025 Postcards of the mill complex.
e.026 Early transportation of goods.
e.027 Early transportation of goods.
e.028 Early transportation of goods.
e.029 Mill people.
e.030 Mill people.
e.031 Mill people.
e.032 Mill people.
e.033 Mill people.
e.034 Mill interiors.
e.035 Mill interiors.
e.036 Mill interiors.
e.037 Mill interiors
e.038 Mill interiors.
e.039 Mill interiors.
e.040 Mill interiors.
e.041 Mill interiors.
e.042 Mill interiors.
e.043 Mill interiors.
e.044 During the 1907 fire
e.045 During the 1907 fire.
e.046 During the 1907 fire.
e.047 During the 1907 fire.
e.048 During the 1907 fire.
e.049 After the 1907 fire.
e.050 After the 1907 fire.
e.051 After the 1907 fire.
e.052 After the 1907 fire.
e.053 After the 1907 fire.
e.054 After the 1907 fire.
e.055 After the 1907 fire.
e.056 After the 1907 fire.
e.057 After the 1907 fire.
e.058 After the 1907 fire.
e.059 After the 1907 fire.
e.060 After the 1907 fire.
e.061 After the 1907 fire.
e.062 After the 1907 fire.
e.063 After the 1907 fire.
e.064 After the 1907 fire.
e.065 Interior after the 1907 fire.
e.066 Interior after the 1907 fire.

4 Responses to “Cotton Mills of Dover, N.H. Exhibit Materials, 1815-1937”

  1. Jean Kestel Says:
    August 14th, 2009 at 12:32 am

    I am trying to find out if the Coheco Mfg Co. ever had a factory in Lawrence, N.Y. (Long Island). Thank you. Jean M. Kestel

  2. Bill Ross Says:
    August 14th, 2009 at 2:51 pm

    In looking at sources here, I could find no evidence that the Cocheco Mfg. Co. or its successor, Pacific Mills, had a factory in Lawrence, NY. I also found a textile directory (see below) from 1917 that does not list any factory in Lawrence, NH. That’s about all I can come up with. Bill Ross http://www.archive.org/details/officialamerican1917bost

  3. Florence J. Rohwer Says:
    February 15th, 2012 at 1:52 pm

    Just a question: when year did Sawyer’s Mill move to Phladelphia,Pa.? I am trying to find my Grandmother in the census and she moved with the Mill when it moved. I can be reached at:florence3857@gmail.com Thank you in advance….Florence J. Rohwer

  4. Roland Goodbody Says:
    February 15th, 2012 at 5:31 pm

    Sawyer Mills was originally operated by the Cocheco Manufacturing Co. and was sold to Pacific Mills of Lawrence MA in 1909. It ceased operation as a mill in 1937, but I can’t verify that it moved to Philadelphia after that. If you are sure that this is where it went, then I ‘d say 1937 is your answer.

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