In the early morning of February 13, 1989 the most visible section of the old Stillwater Mills went up in flames in a fire of "suspicious origin".

The familiar brick and white clapboard buildings that lined East Avenue were so badly damaged that they were later razed and many small businesses that had occupied them after the woolen mill operations went south were wiped out.

These pictures were taken shortly after the fire. Newspaper photos of the blaze itself are available in the clipping files of our Local History collection.

We would love to see any other photos of this fire or any other pictures of local landmarks or activities. We will gladly accept donations or permission to scan and return your photos. Either way, our Local History collection will benefit and your memories will be saved for future generations.

Like so many, Geroge Surbuts, now 84, first went to work at Stillwater during his high school days when the mills provided after-school and summer employment for local teens.

In 1941, after graduation he took a full-time job as a 2d shift Baller Tender in the Colored Combing department. Shortly after, he transferred to a position as a clerk in the Top-Dye office but it wasn't long before he left to enlist in the military, serving in the Army Air Corps as a teletype operator.

In 1945, following the War, he returned to Stillwater and was employed in the Fulling Mill but soon moved up to the Design Department. This section developed new patterns and colors for the cloth being produced. Here George learned weaving, color matching and cloth lay-out.

The first photo shows George at work "cutting a blanket"- this was a sample section of cloth showing proposed colors and patterns. The various sections were cut out and sent to New York for buyers to select from. The photo is from the August 15, 1953 issue of Stillwater News.

As production steadily dwindled in the '60's and more and more operations moved down South where costs were lower, many local workers could see the "writing on the wall" and began to look around for other jobs. George had switched to an assistant electrician position as the end of the local Stillwater era approached and eventually he left to work for Electric Boat in Groton.

In the second photo taken during the demolition for the New Library this fall, George points out the last standing corner of the old Stillwater Laboratory building- that corner had been his office for almost 15 years.

The Drawing-In Hook

 



Miss Jennie Nolda has donated this drawing-in hook to the library. It will become part of our permanent Local History exhibit on the old Stillwater Mills.

If the drawing-in hook brings back any memories-- perhaps you used one, or saw one being used?-- we'd love to hear about them. Please post a comment, or drop us an email to let us know. Thanks!

Stillwater Memoriesof Ruth M. (Jeffrey) Cook

World War I had ended and my father Arthur E. Jeffrey returned to Methuen, MA and soon got a job in the mills of Lawrence, MA. Work was slack there. He met some friends who were moving to Harrisville, RI to work at Stillwater for Mr. Levy. He and our mother decided to move. It was in the early 1920’s.

After getting settled in Pascoag, Dad soon got a job in Harrisville as a Dresser Tender. He appreciated the steady work and pleasant conditions of the mill. He ended up also working in Greenville and Mapleville mills. I remember he would tell us that Mr. Levy came to visit the area where he worked— he would take his jacket off, roll up his sleeves and work right along with his help. Dad respected him for that.

Mr. Levy brought a trio of men into town in 1921— one a virtuoso violinist, a cellist and Mr. Rihm, a pianist. They formed a Harrisville Glee Club. Dad joined and was soon singing in the operettas in the Assembly [Theater].

We were excited a new idea was taking place and each worker would get a 2-week vacation with four weeks pay. This was unheard of. We liked the idea, as a summer vacation was new to us. Our Mum checked the ads in The [Woonsocket] Call [newspaper] and as a result, one year we stayed at Lang Meadow on the Bay; another year, Button Woods— both on Narragansett Bay thanks to Mr. Levy.

One night Dad came home all excited. As we listened seated around our kitchen table that day in 1944 we heard the story about Edward, Duke of Windsor. He had made a tour of the mill and Dad had shook his hand. Imagine what that meant to this English family, especially Mum who was born in England.

After my sister and I graduated from high school in the mid-‘40s, we worked in the main office in Harrisville. Some terms we had heard for years such as warp, slasher, wool and combing all took on a new meaning to us. We were now a complete Stillwater Family.

— Ruth Jeffrey Cook
October 7, 2006



Uncle Wilbert's Bar-b-cue roast in full swing. Held every Thursday in the boiler room at No. 2 Mapleville. (The Stillwater News, Vol. IX, No. 6, December 15, 1951, page 36.)

Top, left to right: Eileen Latondresse (roasting a "dawg"), Henry Lillibridge, Norman Ducharme, Arthur Jeffrey, Willard Colwell, Joe Pout, and Bill Steere.

Bottom, left to right: Bill Steere, Arthur Jeffrey, Dorothy Courtemanche, Mildred Fasteson, Joe Pout, Louis Trinque.

The Stillwater News

Do you remember? The Stillwater News was a quarterly publication begun in December 1942 by Austin T. Levy, and written largely for his "boys and girls" in the service. It was a highly polished newsletter that covered local news and gossip.

If you'd like to refresh your memories of those times, copies of The Stillwater News are available for viewing at Jesse Smith Library as part of our Local History Collection. Please stop in and consult our Reference Specialist, Linda Rivet. She'll be glad to assist you.

By the way, Do you recognize the doorway pictured here? Does it bring back any special memories? Please let us know by posting your comments.




Here's a photo of the doorway as it looks today. Do you recognize it now? It's currently unused, but you can see it on East Avenue between the Millhouse Restaurant and the Video King store.