Chalmers Knitting Mills
Why it's listed
Chalmers Knitting Mills is a large factory complex beside the Mohawk River at Bridge Street and Gilliland Avenue in Amsterdam, New York. It was built in two phases: a four-story brick block with a steel frame in 1913, and a seven-story reinforced concrete addition in 1916 by Turner Construction Company. Together they wrap around a courtyard and offer nearly 240,000 square feet of open floor space lit by large grids of windows, a layout typical of a daylight factory. The company began in 1901 and grew on porosknit, a light, breathable knitted underwear fabric developed by Martin Shaughnessy. Heavy national advertising built demand, and the firm is credited with splitting the union suit into separate undershirt and drawers. It supplied underwear to the military in World War I and kept running through World War II contracts, though it faced decline after the 1920s. The mill was abandoned in the mid-1980s, and several rear buildings have since largely collapsed.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is significant for industry and architecture. The company's proprietary porosknit underwear, marketed through extensive national advertising, made it a major Amsterdam manufacturer, and it is credited with dividing the union suit into separate undershirt and drawers. The 1916 concrete addition, built by Turner Construction Co., is an example of a daylight factory.
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 10000028, listed February 22, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 21-41 Bridge St., Amsterdam |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | February 22, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000028 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown architect and unknown builder for the 1913 block; unknown architect, Turner Construction Co. for the 1916 block |
| Architectural style | Other: Daylight Factory |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant and not in use; abandoned in the mid-1980s, with broken windows and deteriorated or collapsed ancillary buildings (drying building, dye house and bleachery, probable power plant), which are non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Within district | New York State Barge Canal |
| Coordinates | 42.93742, -74.19601 (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.
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 10000028.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5069010
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.