Milling Machines

David Wilkinson and his father built this mill together, finishing it in 1811 beside Slater Mill. Their families were closely connected after Slater married Wilkinson's sister Hannah, and they shared several ventures. At first, Wilkinson used his water-powered mill to spin cotton into yarn, but he soon began using it to build machines, including some of the first power looms, which he sold to Samuel Slater and other mill owners. Trained as a blacksmith, Wilkinson came to Pawtucket as a teenager with new ideas, built one of the first steamboats by age 21, and by 23 had invented a screw-cutting lathe that became an industry standard. By cutting screw threads evenly through a reference guide, the machine revolutionized parts manufacturing, allowing screws and other parts to be made precisely every time and changing machine building, repair, and technology.

Pawtucket, Rhode Island · United States