Belknap-Sulloway Mill
The Belknap-Sulloway Mill is a brick textile factory in Laconia, New Hampshire, built between 1823 and 1828 and situated next to the Winnipesaukee River. The structure features thick masonry walls, tall windows, nine bays with a central staircase, attached ells at the rear, brick chimneys at each end, and a wooden cupola housing a bell.
The site originally held a wooden mill in 1811 that burned down in 1823, replaced by this brick building which operated until 1969. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 after local citizens fought to preserve it from demolition during urban renewal efforts in the 1960s.
For many years, the mill employed women and children, many of whom came from farms or other regions to find work and build new lives. Today, the building remains a gathering place where the community gathers for art shows, performances, and celebrations, keeping the stories of those workers alive.
The mill is located downtown near the Winnipesaukee River with easy parking and pedestrian access throughout the area. Visitors can explore the interior through guided tours, see textile production history, and attend rotating art exhibitions and community events.
A wooden cupola on the roof houses a bell cast by a master craftsman trained under Paul Revere, which once called workers to begin and end their shifts and still rings today. This connection to Revolutionary-era craftsmanship adds an unexpected layer of history to the industrial building.
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