somersworth, called sligo after sligo in ireland, settled before 1700 part of dover. organized in 1729 parish of summersworth , meaning summer town , because during season ministers preach here. set off , incorporated in 1754 colonial governor benning wentworth, , until 1849 included rollinsford. clerical error @ incorporation contracted name somersworth . incorporated city in 1893, before known great falls .
child laborers @ great falls manufacturing, 1909. photo lewis hine.
high street, c. 1910
situated salmon falls river drops 100 feet (30 m) on mile, somersworth became mill town, beginning gristmills , sawmills. in 1822, brothers isaac , jacob wendell of boston purchased $5,000 gristmill water rights @ great falls. established great falls manufacturing company, textile business expanded include 3 mills spinning thread , weaving cotton , woolen fabrics, specializing in drillings, shirtings , sheetings. throughout 19th century, other expansive brick mill buildings, including bleachery , dye works, erected beside river. bleachery became longest running textile operation in somersworth. building housed operations took buff-colored fabric produced in 7 mills , transformed sparkling white material dyed or printed according buyer s wishes. gate house @ dam directed water needed, regulating flow either river or company canal, had gates sending under mill. water power turned wheels , belts operated mill machinery. railroad arrived in 1840s, before goods carted dover.
at first millworkers came surrounding farms, including in berwick, maine, directly across bridge. many women. need labor grew, immigrants arrived ireland, , later quebec. brick tenement row houses rented company employee families, many of members worked in mills beside parents before passage of child labor laws. relaxation, workers found entertainment @ opera house or @ central park, amusement park beside willand pond. in 1870s, portsmouth, great falls & conway railroad began excursions white mountains. electric street railway came in 1890, allowing trolley rides york beach, maine.
but new england textile industry went decline in 20th century. water power replaced newer forms of energy, , cotton manufactured grew, saving transportation costs. labor cheaper in south, did not have new hampshire s inventory tax levied commodities coal , cotton @ plants. great depression sent many regional textile firms bankruptcy, when local facilities adapted shoemaking. great falls manufacturing company s big mill renovated other uses in 1980s, although bleachery suffered devastating fire in november 2003, required assistance 23 fire departments new hampshire , maine. general electric company operates factory manufactures state of art electric meters energy business.
somersworth s heyday during mill era. although overshadowed larger neighboring cities of dover , rochester, somersworth retains quantity of victorian architecture prosperous age. antique residences, notably within historic district known hill , have been restored. municipality today largely bedroom community other cities , portsmouth naval shipyard. upper end of high street, however, continues develop retail center, several big-box chain stores.
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