America's first water-powered cotton mill (1793), now a National Historic Landmark with night ghost tours
67 Roosevelt Ave, Pawtucket, RI 02860
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Daytime guided mill tours offered through the National Park Service and the Old Slater Mill Association; nighttime paranormal investigation events are separately ticketed and priced higher. Confirm current pricing on the venue site.
Access
Limited Access
Multi-level historic mill buildings along the Blackstone River; some upper floors reached by stairs.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1793 · Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution · First successful water-powered cotton-spinning mill in the U.S. · National Historic Landmark · Early child-labor and factory-system history
The mill takes its name from Samuel Slater, an English textile mechanic who emigrated in 1789 and reconstructed Richard Arkwright's water-frame spinning technology from memory after Britain banned the export of both the machines and the plans. Backed by Providence merchant Moses Brown and partner William Almy, Slater put the first machines into operation in Pawtucket in 1790, and the wood-frame mill that still stands on Roosevelt Avenue was completed in 1793.
The mill made cotton thread using water power drawn from the Blackstone River, and it set the pattern for the factory system that spread across New England. Like other early mills, it ran on family labor. Entire households were hired, and children as young as six or seven worked spinning frames and cleaned beneath running machinery. The National Park Service, which now interprets the site as part of Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, addresses that labor history directly in its tours.
The complex includes the 1793 mill, the 1810 Wilkinson Mill with its machine shop and waterwheel, and the 1758 Sylvanus Brown House. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is operated through a partnership of the National Park Service and the Old Slater Mill Association.
Sources
Paranormal interest in the mill is tied to its labor history, particularly the children who worked there. The best-known account is of a young girl nicknamed 'Becca,' reported in the Sylvanus Brown House cottage, who has been described as playful rather than frightening—heard laughing or running, and occasionally interacted with through dowsing rods during ghost-hunt events.
Writers and investigators have also reported footsteps on empty floors, abrupt temperature drops near the large spinning machinery, dark figures, and the sound of a ball bouncing. Coverage in USA Love List and accounts from regional paranormal groups describe nighttime investigations led by New England investigators who opened the mill for ticketed events.
These reports are anecdotal folklore, not documented events, and the mill's operators present the daytime experience as history first. The paranormal programming is seasonal and separately ticketed; visitors should confirm current dates through the venue rather than assume year-round access.
Notable Entities
Guided tours of the 1793 spinning mill cover Samuel Slater, the Arkwright water-frame technology he reproduced from memory, and the families—including children—who worked the floors. Programs run roughly 30-45 minutes and are operated through the National Park Service and the Old Slater Mill Association.
Ticketed after-dark paranormal investigation events have been held at the mill complex, led by investigators who walk groups through the mill, the wheelhouse, and the Brown House cottage associated with the 'Becca' child-spirit reports. Dates are limited; check the venue's event listings for current availability and a live booking link before traveling.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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