Narragansett Mills
Why it's listed
Narragansett Mills is a brick textile complex on North Main Street in Fall River, built beginning in 1872 as the third mill in the city's northern section, an area opened to industry by steam power. The company was organized in 1871 and made print cloth and corset jeans, with a first capacity of 27,920 spindles and 700 looms. The 21-acre site had no nearby water body and relied on a large brick well. The five-story main mill measures 300 by 75 feet and has a slightly pitched roof, wooden brackets, granite quoins and sills, and recessed bays with 12/12 windows. Later additions include an 1879 machine shop and office, an 1888 cloth room, an 1889 engine house and boiler house, and an 1895 sawtooth-roofed weave shed. An early iron fence with granite curb and posts surrounds the buildings. The mill is valued for its unity of materials, craftsmanship, and intact condition, and for its link to the city's greatest expansion period. The company operated until 1929.
Significance in brief: The complex was organized during the city's greatest period of textile expansion and is described as a handsome, remarkably intact brick mill. It is notable for its unity of style and materials, fine workmanship, and faintly Romanesque influence. It meets 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 83000694, listed February 16, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1567 N. Main St., Fall River |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | February 16, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000694 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1872-1895 |
| Architectural style | Faintly Romanesque influence, typical of brick mills of Fall River's third, or expansion, period |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Presently used as a mill outlet store (as of the 1981 survey); the company operated until 1929, when the property was sold. |
| Acreage | 7.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.72193, -71.14367 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 83000694.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6966171
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.