Savage Mill Historic District
Encyclopedia
The Savage Mill Historic District is a national historic district
located at Savage
, Howard County, Maryland
. The district comprises the industrial complex of Savage Mill
and the village of workers' housing to the north of the complex.
The site of Savage Mill on the rapids of the Little Patuxent River
had been used for mill operations since the mid 18th century. In the early 1820s the Savage Manufacturing Company, owned by John Savage of Philadelphia, purchased the site, erected a factory, and installed machinery. By 1825, the mill employed 200 people including women and children, and 120 power looms for the production of cotton duck
. The complex included several additions: a grist mill, an iron foundry, and a machine shop. The company was sold to William H. Baldwin, Jr. in 1847, who owned a Baltimore dry goods firm. In the early 20th century, the company became Baldwin, Leslie and Company, and the mill was expanded. A decade later the Baldwin family erected a stone community hall for the town and constructed a large group of tenant houses. By 1941 the company employed 325 people, and during World War II
, produced 400,000 pounds of cotton duck a month. In 1948 the mill closed, and in the 1950s it spent a brief period being used to manufacture Christmas ornament
s before closing permanently and converted for commercial use.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1975.
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
located at Savage
Savage, Maryland
Savage is a historic town located in Howard County, Maryland, about south of Baltimore and north of Washington, D.C. It is situated close to the city of Laurel and to the planned community of Columbia.A rich vein of American industrial history lies in Savage...
, Howard County, Maryland
Howard County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.2% White*17.5% Black*0.3% Native American*14.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*2.0% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. The district comprises the industrial complex of Savage Mill
Savage Mill
The Savage Mill is a historic cotton mill complex in Savage, Maryland, which has been turned into a complex of shops and restaurants. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It is located in the Savage Mill Historic District...
and the village of workers' housing to the north of the complex.
The site of Savage Mill on the rapids of the Little Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between...
had been used for mill operations since the mid 18th century. In the early 1820s the Savage Manufacturing Company, owned by John Savage of Philadelphia, purchased the site, erected a factory, and installed machinery. By 1825, the mill employed 200 people including women and children, and 120 power looms for the production of cotton duck
Cotton duck
Cotton duck , also simply duck, sometimes duck cloth or duck canvas, commonly called "canvas" outside the textile industry, is a heavy, plain woven cotton fabric...
. The complex included several additions: a grist mill, an iron foundry, and a machine shop. The company was sold to William H. Baldwin, Jr. in 1847, who owned a Baltimore dry goods firm. In the early 20th century, the company became Baldwin, Leslie and Company, and the mill was expanded. A decade later the Baldwin family erected a stone community hall for the town and constructed a large group of tenant houses. By 1941 the company employed 325 people, and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, produced 400,000 pounds of cotton duck a month. In 1948 the mill closed, and in the 1950s it spent a brief period being used to manufacture Christmas ornament
Christmas ornament
Christmas ornaments are decorations that are used to festoon a Christmas tree.Ornaments take many different forms, from a simple round ball to highly artistic designs...
s before closing permanently and converted for commercial use.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975.
External links
- Savage Mill Historic District, Howard County, Inventory No.: HO-42, including photo in 2003, at Maryland Historical Trust website
- Boundary Map of the Savage Mill Historic District, Howard County, at Maryland Historical Trust
- Historic Savage Mill website
