Manomet Mills
Also known as: Manomet Mill No.1 & No. 2; Delaware Rayon Co.; New Bedford Rayon Co.; Cliftex Corp.
Why it's listed
Manomet Mills is a group of early 20th-century cotton mill buildings on Riverside Avenue beside the Acushnet River in New Bedford. Mill No. 1 (1903) and Mill No. 2 (1907) are each three stories and 54 bays long, built of red brick on granite foundations with segmental-arch window openings. A two-story Department Room (1907), probably used for finishing and packing goods, stands to the east. The mills produced combed cotton yarn for hosiery and underwear, largely with an immigrant workforce, during a calm period in the city's labor history. The buildings were designed by Charles R. Makepeace, working with contractor Benjamin F. Smith and manufacturer William Whitman, who developed several New Bedford mill complexes. The district represents the city's shift from whaling to textile production and survives as a well-preserved example of utilitarian Classical Revival industrial design. Later owners kept the buildings in manufacturing use until the second half of the 20th century, and they are now vacant.
Significance in brief: The complex represents the large, self-contained brick cotton mills built as New Bedford shifted from whaling to textile manufacturing. It is tied to the cotton-textile industry and to mill architect/engineer Charles R. Makepeace, contractor Benjamin F. Smith and textile manufacturer William Whitman. It is also a well-preserved example of utilitarian industrial architecture.
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 12000304, listed May 24, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 194-194R, 200 Riverside Ave., New Bedford |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | May 24, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000304 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1903-1962 |
| Architect / builder | Charles Roderick Makepeace |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Community Planning and Development, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant/not in use; the original engine and boiler houses were demolished in the first decade of the 21st century. |
| Acreage | 11.4 |
| Coordinates | 41.66374, -70.91939 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 12000304.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16894624
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.