Historic Mills of Connecticut

Companies Associated w/Complex

• Belding Chemical Industries
• Belding Corticeillo (Thread) Mill
• Grosvenordale Mill 1861

Use (Historic)

• Rubber & Chemicals
• Textiles

Largest Documented Workforce

n/a

Historic Narrative

In 1861-62 Williams Grosvenor, a Providence physician, built the 5-story brick mill (about 200' x 60) several hundred yards downstream from the earlier Masonville complex. It was one of the first mills designed by F. P. Sheldon and Son, the noted firm of industrial architects/engineers from Providence. The near-flat roof, the segmentally arched lintels, and the aggressive upthrust of the pyramidal-roofed central stair tower were features that became standard for southern New England textile mills in the last third of the 19th century. The mill has been altered with a steel and glass addition on its east facade. Nineteenth-century additions include a 4-story brick mill attached to the west side and a I-story brick weave shed to the south. Associated housing includes a frame boardinghouse and nine frame, double-entry dwellings. (Roth)

Number of Existing Buildings

Stair tower only.

Dates of Construction

1861-62

Architect

F. P. Sheldon and Son

Builder

n/a

Building Type

n/a

Architectural Description

n/a

Exterior Material(s)

n/a

Structural System(s)

n/a

Roof Form

n/a

Roof Material

n/a

Power Source

n/a

Condition

n/a

Condition Notes

Only the stair tower remains.

Specific Location

between the French River to the west and Riverside Drive to the east

Adjacent To

n/a

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link

• 63/95/1 / Link →

Acreage

33

Use (Present)

• Abandoned
• Other: Plan by Robert Letskus of Refined Living LLC in process 10/2025 to redevelop property with 116 residential units, retail and restaurants at a cost of $25m. Proposal retains the 135-foot smokestack and 500 sq ft guardhouse (the only extant mill complex structures).

Form Completed By

n/a

Date

n/a

Bibliography

1. Roth, Matthew, et al, Connecticut: An Inventory of Historic Engineering and Industrial Sites (Washington DC: SIA, 1981).