The manufacturer's and village library of Somersworth, New Hampshire: Historical New Hampshire/ by Elfreida McCauley.

Title:

The manufacturer's and village library of Somersworth, New Hampshire: Historical New Hampshire/ by Elfreida McCauley.

Author:

McCauley, Elfreida,

Call Number:

977.8 N5321h

Publication Information:

Concord, NH: New Hampshire Historical Society, 1972.

Physical Description:

p. 89-107: illustrations.

Source:

Concord, New Hampshire: New Hampshire Historical Society, 1972 Vol.27, Issue 2 (Summer 1972) Historical New Hampshire

Description:

The Great Falls Manufacturing Company, of Somersworth, hired 1,500 women for its six cotton mills on the Salmon Falls River and ran one of the largest operations of its kind in New England in the 1850's. Converting from woolens to cottons in 1826, the mills failed to make money until after 1840. Managers trained in Lowell mills rearranged and rebuilt plant and equipment, but also started in 1841 and developed a library, primarily for the factory girls. Organized in the local Baptist church, over three-quarters of whose 300 members were women, the library raised a book fund through transferable proprietorships, smaller dues from mill girls, and an annual donation from the company. One thousand volumes were acquired within two months, 1,627 volumes by 1847, and six thousand by 1880, kept in company buildings which were open two or three evenings a week for circulation. All librarians were men until the town acquired the collection in 1899

Subjects:

Libraries History 19th century. , Great Falls Manufacturing Company (Somersworth, N.H.). , Cotton manufacture. , Women textile workers.

Locations:

Somersworth (N.H.)

Organizations:

New Hampshire Historical Society Periodicals History.

Terms of Use:

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Electronic Resources:

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