Ormsby-Laughlin Textile Companies Mill
Why it's listed
Built in 1894 on an island in Waterford, New York, this four-and-one-half-story brick mill was constructed for the Ormsby Textile Company, organized by local industrialists Thomas Breslin and Charles C. Ormsby with C.L. Mitchell. It originally employed 160 workers making knit underwear. Laughlin Textile Mills took over the building in 1919 and produced tapes, braids and later synthetic yarns until the 1960s. Local contractor Medard Breault built it in the Romanesque Revival style, with corbelled cornices, brick piers, paired segmental-arched windows, a six-and-one-half-story tower with a tent roof, and a 100-foot tapered chimney. The mill is the only intact industrial building left from Dial City, a manufacturing community that grew up beside the King's Power Canal and later lost most of its factories and housing to fire, demolition and new construction. It remains a visible reminder of Waterford's textile industry and retains a high level of architectural integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is the only surviving intact factory of the Dial City industrial community, which has been heavily altered by demolition and modern construction. It is also an excellent example of Romanesque Revival industrial architecture, with elaborate corbelled brickwork, a six-story tower and a 100-foot chimney. It recalls the textile manufacturing history of the Hudson-Mohawk region.
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 86000470, listed March 20, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 31 Mohawk Ave., Waterford |
|---|---|
| County | Saratoga County |
| Listed | March 20, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000470 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1894 |
| Architect / builder | Medard Breault |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good, largely unaltered condition and still occupied: upper floors are used for cloth manufacture and clothing design, and a textile company occupies the first floor. Original machinery has been removed and the interior divided by partitions, and several outbuildings were demolished in 1985. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | Waterford Village Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.78845, -73.68303 (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 86000470.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7103477
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.