Valley Falls Mill, Historic textile mill complex in Cumberland, Rhode Island.
Valley Falls Mill is a 19th-century industrial complex featuring an Italianate brick building constructed in 1849, along with outbuildings and a dam spanning the Blackstone River. The site also includes canal remnants that once channeled water to power the machinery.
The mill was built in 1849 as a textile factory that relied on the Blackstone River's water power for its operations. A fire in the 1930s caused substantial damage and ended production, though the remaining foundations reveal 19th-century engineering techniques.
This site belongs to the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor and demonstrates the textile manufacturing legacy that shaped New England's industrial development. Walking through reveals how the river's water powered production and structured daily life for workers.
The site is accessible from Broad Street, where visitors can explore the ruins on foot. Additional parking is available at Central Falls Landing on the opposite riverbank, reached via Madeira Avenue.
After the fire, the granite foundations were transformed between 1993 and 1995 into a heritage park that allows visitors to explore original gate machinery and water management systems. This careful restoration reveals infrastructure that was previously hidden beneath the water's surface.
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