American Printing Co. and Metacomet Mill
The pin is a point inside the NPS boundary polygon, not a surveyed location.
Why it's listed
Along Anawan Street in Fall River stands a cluster of textile buildings built for the American Printing Company and its predecessors. The oldest is the Metacomet Mill of 1847, built of rubble stone with ashlar trim and modelled on an English cotton mill. Its plans came from Major Bradford Durfee and William Davol, who studied mill design in England. At 70 by 218 feet, it was one of the city's first wide mills, with iron posts and girders supporting the floors and a combination of water wheels and a steam engine for power. It is the oldest surviving mill in Fall River and the only one left beside the lower falls of the Quequechan River. In 1905-6 the company added brick Mill #7 on the site of the demolished Annawan Mill, and several brick packing and storage buildings and a Greek Revival bank and office building complete the group. Together they show how the firm grew from the American Print Works of 1834. The mills are now used for light manufacturing.
Significance in brief: The Metacomet Mill is described as the oldest existing mill in Fall River, the only mill left along the lower falls of the Quequechan River, and the earliest remaining mill to use steam power. It was one of the city's first "wide mills" and used iron posts and girders inspired by English design. The complex documents the growth of the American Printing Company, and the nomination cites Criteria A and C.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83000617, listed February 16, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Anawan St., Fall River |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | February 16, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000617 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1847-1906 |
| Architect / builder | Plans drawn by Major Bradford Durfee and William Davol (Metacomet Mill) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (former bank/office building); early 20th century brick mill architecture (Mill #7); granite and rubble stone mill construction |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The Metacomet Mill and Mill #7 are presently used for light manufacturing. American Printing continued in business until the early 1940s. |
| Acreage | 8.6 |
| Coordinates | 41.70260, -71.16088 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83000617.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4744739
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.