Wannalancit Mills
Encyclopedia
The Wannalancit Mills in Lowell, Massachusetts
are an early American cotton mill
, parts of which date to the 1830s at the earliest. Its namesake is a corruption of Wonalancet
, a sachem
or sagamore of the Penacook
Native American
tribe. Today the complex is home to office space, conference center, and university research facilities.
and later steam power, the mill's buildings were soon built during the mass building mills in the city. During the Civil War
, the mill was closed and rebuilt. In 1926, the Suffolk Mills were sold. The New England
textile industry was in decline by World War I
and collapsed after World War II
yet the mill hung on. In 1950, the Wannalancit Textile Company moved into the mills, renaming them. In 1969, Colombia
n workers were brought in since they were used to the poor working conditions and knew how to operate textile machinery. The mills finally closed in 1981.
as they contain offices. Part of the mills are owned by the University of Massachusetts Lowell
. In 2000, the owners of the mill utilized their smokestack for the city's largest Christmas tree
, reaching two hundred and fifty six feet in height. Yearly lighting costs are around thirty thousand dollars a year. In 2010, the "tree" wasn't put up as owners cited costs of lighting to be a determining cause. In years when the light is up, it contains 5,440 green light bulbs and over 32 cables anchored to a 102 foot diameter angle ring at the base. There is also a 19 foot star on the top of the tree.
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
are an early American cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
, parts of which date to the 1830s at the earliest. Its namesake is a corruption of Wonalancet
Wonalancet
Wonalancet — also spelled Wannalancet and Wannalancit and probably Wanaloset and Wanalosett — was a sachem or sagamore of the Penacook Indians. He was the son of Passaconaway.-Biography:...
, a sachem
Sachem
A sachem[p] or sagamore is a paramount chief among the Algonquians or other northeast American tribes. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms from different Eastern Algonquian languages...
or sagamore of the Penacook
Pennacook
The Pennacook, also known by the names Merrimack and Pawtucket, were a North American people that primarily inhabited the Merrimack River valley of present-day New Hampshire and Massachusetts, as well as portions of southern Maine...
Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
tribe. Today the complex is home to office space, conference center, and university research facilities.
Operations
In 1830, the Suffolk Textile Company was established. Running off of hydropowerHydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
and later steam power, the mill's buildings were soon built during the mass building mills in the city. During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the mill was closed and rebuilt. In 1926, the Suffolk Mills were sold. The New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
textile industry was in decline by World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and collapsed after 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...
yet the mill hung on. In 1950, the Wannalancit Textile Company moved into the mills, renaming them. In 1969, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n workers were brought in since they were used to the poor working conditions and knew how to operate textile machinery. The mills finally closed in 1981.
Reuse
Today, the Wannalancit Mills are an example of adaptive re-useMill conversion
Mill Conversion is a term used to describe the process whereby a usually historic mill or industrial factory building is restored or rehabilitated into another use, such as residential housing, retail shops, office, or a mix of these non-industrial elements...
as they contain offices. Part of the mills are owned by the University of Massachusetts Lowell
University of Massachusetts Lowell
The University of Massachusetts Lowell is a public university in Lowell, Massachusetts, and part of the University of Massachusetts system...
. In 2000, the owners of the mill utilized their smokestack for the city's largest Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
, reaching two hundred and fifty six feet in height. Yearly lighting costs are around thirty thousand dollars a year. In 2010, the "tree" wasn't put up as owners cited costs of lighting to be a determining cause. In years when the light is up, it contains 5,440 green light bulbs and over 32 cables anchored to a 102 foot diameter angle ring at the base. There is also a 19 foot star on the top of the tree.