Keeping America’s Industrial Revolution Alive
The 1793 Old Slater Mill is a landmark property that is visited by tens of thousands of cultural tourists, students, residents and visitors each season. This three story wood-framed mill requires a great deal of stewardship and care in order for it to accommodate the necessary uses that help to sustain its parent organization, the Old Slater Mill Association, founded in 1921.
A building of national significance that is central to the Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark District, and cornerstone of the Blackstone River Valley National Historical park, the Old Slater Mill, and its adjacent companions the 1810 Wilkinson Mill and 1758 Sylvanus Brown house, sit as a testament to the power of innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit, and to the leadership of Rhode Islanders in the economic progress of the United States.
Recognizing this importance and the need for its partnership, The Champlin Foundation has funded major exterior restorations of the Old Slater Mill and the Sylvanus Brown House, supported improvements to the waterworks that enable the museum to demonstrate water power, and has provided infrastructure improvements to the campus to allow it to continue to be enjoyed every day by residents and visitors alike. In two decades of support, the Foundation has contributed $1.9M toward bricks and mortar preservation projects, and in doing so has leveraged additional support from federal, state and local agencies and other philanthropic partners.