Crompton

By
Lauren, Katelyn, Debra, and Brian

I. Location

The Crompton Mill was the first mill to make velvet and corduroy in the U.S. Crompton was called the Velvet Village. Crompton is located in West Warwick. Crompton is known for St. Mary's Church. It is the oldest Catholic Church in Rhode Island. St. Mary's Church is on Church St. in Crompton. It is also known for the Crompton Mill and the Pawtuxet Valley Historical and Preservation Society, Crompton playground and the basketball court. Crompton was in the western side of Warwick until 1913. Today it is a small village (part) of West Warwick. Many Polish people live in Crompton and some Swedish immigrants. Crompton is in the southern part of West Warwick.

II. Place

Crompton was developed in a heavily wooded area in 1807. The south branch of the river runs through Crompton and is sometimes called the Flat River. Twenty acres of land was purchased to build the first stone cotton mill called the Stone Jug.

III. Human Environment

The Crompton Mill won a golden medal at the Pan American Expedition in Buffalo in 1901 for making the best velvet and corduroy. More than 50 people worked in the mill. There were 30-35 machines on each floor and 3-5 floors in the mill. The Crompton Mill was called the Stone Jug Mill. The Crompton Mill was the first to make the cordury and velvet in the U.S. The Crompton Mill was made of granite. The Crompton Mill was built in 1807 and it caught on fire in 1992 (2 pages of photos). All the kindergarten students gathered their chairs and watched, so did their teachers, and parents. All of the kids thought it would spread to their school. Someone set the mill on fire, "What a waste," said Mr. Guerreiro of the West Warwick fire dept. "A lot of people walked by crying, saying that their grandparents helped build the mill".

IV. Movement

Crompton has three major roads. They are Crompton St.., Pulaski St.. and Rt.. 3. On Pulaski St. there was the Crompton Mill, railroad tracks ran behind it. On Rt.. 3 there are lots of businesses like restaurants, hair salons, video stores and flower shops. It is a very busy street.

V. Regions

The borders of Crompton are Centerville, Coventry, East Greenwitch, and Warwick. They built
a cathloic church called Saint Mary's after a large group of Irish immigrants settled in Crompton. Saint Mary's Church is the oldest catholic church in R.I.

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