Abandoned Potter Hill Mill | New England History
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- Опубликовано: 13 авг 2022
- When exploring abandoned places, a ‘Grail” is a spot that hasn’t been touched by vandals, hasn’t been redeveloped, and still houses historic artifacts in their original places. Fortunately, We found one of those grails - a historic mill collapsing on a secluded river. It was abandoned in 1958 with nearly everything left inside.
Filmed/Edited by Jason Allard
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Drone: DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo
Editing: Final Cut Pro w/ custom plugins
Additional Footage by:
David Lawlor | rb.gy/s9oxrq
Suthi Seneth | rb.gy/mfs2fq
Music By: WaveyyBeats | rb.gy/pcsrlk
Beats by Con | rb.gy/ndq16d
Dexter Yu | rb.gy/exmuzo
Moneo | rb.gy/dlvn9t
In order to understand why THIS mill is so special, we have to go back to the past, so let’s hop in my time machine here, which yes, is a del’s lemonade cup because, yeah time travel makes me thirsty, and yeah, maybe I want Dels to send me free lemonade.
Welcome to the 1700s which for context is after the 1600s but before the 1800s.
Back then people in England had their entire society built up around mills. It was their way of life and they brought it on the ships to New England - which I like to imagine they did literally…. so forgive me while I ignore “historical accuracy”
What were these mills used for? That’s a good question - the most well known were grist mills, which ground corn and wheat into flour, and saw mills, which cut up wood for construction. Then during the industrial revolution you had the textile industry exploding - there were fulling mills, which made cloth, carding mills, which untangled and cleaned wool fibers, dyeing mills, and coffee milk mills, where early Rhode Islanders would get their favorite beverage.
So through the 1800s businessmen and manufacturers built and they built and oh boy did they build those mills.
They brought jobs to the areas where they were built, and with jobs came economic and societal growth. Which on one hand was a good thing, but on the other hand they generally valued profits over everything. Workers were kept in perpetual poverty, and owners employed children to work in some of the most dangerous conditions in america.
I know, it’s pretty terrible, but don’t worry I wrote them a negative yelp review. so that should do it.
Mill buildings were simple and sturdy, built to withstand the strong vibrations generated by the water wheels… This mill followed the same trend but has one awesome design feature. This beauty was constructed with red granite, which makes for quite the striking view at sunset.
We made it to the mill close at golden hour, picking our way through the woods passing discarded farm and manufacturing equipment.
It’s really sad that this beautiful piece of history was left to just rot here on the river. It’s a reminder of a different era, and while significant places like this have been saved, this likely won’t be one of them. As of August 2022, the town plans to demolish the entire site by Spring 2023.
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I worked in a textile mill while in high school (late-1960s). Carding machines were nasty pieces of machinery. They were composed of huge rollers containing rows of steel needles used to pull apart and separate the wool fibers. The old timers had plenty of stories about workers losing appendages in the machinery. Most of the mill was loud, dirty and dangerous. I often considered what it was like for children working in those conditions. Always grateful that life offered me more options. ☮️
advances in technology allows for machines to do the dangerous jobs while people do the not so dangerous jobs, in past century most of machinery was mechanical with minimal electronics on it, now most of it is automated
Iv had jobs I didn't exactly like, but for the most part not that dangerous. THANK GOODNESS.
dude your skills are UNMATCHED
you capture such an eery feel with each video. These easily have the quality of youtubers with millions of subscribers and a big team behind em. The passion here is HUGE
Agree. You improve with every video. You’re serious, have good production values, speak so we can follow & understand.
Very good photography. References. Sources.
The library at the statehouse has story ideas: GALLUDET BROTHERS, Nathanael Greene, Taylor Swift’s house (I “visited” when it was abandoned in 70’s)…
Your documentaries are excellent. I have driven by that mill hundreds of times when I lived in Rhode Island. I always wondered about the history of that mill.
I drove by this place every day on the way to and from work for almost 20 years. I haven't seen it since the 90s. It looked bad then, sad to know it's gone now. Thank you for documenting it!
Sadly I fear you’re correct, this place isn’t going to be saved - and it’s a shame too. Great production as always, Jason!
Yeah ,wicked sad that this is happening to our country ,seems society doesn't care about history and some of today's youth could care less to want to preserve history ... America will fall apart if we don't take things seriously! Imagine if we as a country could unite instead of being divided, people could do great things like get together to restore this great factory and actually make something great there , like who knows , call me crazy wool clothing !
Of course it would take millions of dollars to demolish the structure and build another factory ...the gubberment is why we can't have nice things here . They made it impossible to succeed and have a competitive business in America ,thats why we don't make anything on large scale anymore ! I'd like to see that change, but I think we might be too far gone with the hollowness of American manufacturing and infrastructure in 2022 !
Wonderful job. I just discovered your channel through a Chronicle episode. Of all the urban explorers I follow you do the most research. Many of the explores I see don’t even bother to explain any history on their locations much less do legal research. Good job! It’s a shame we can’t leave places like this alone. In Europe they have ruins. There might be a castle that just molders away for hundreds of years. Here we flatten something within fifty. Such a waste. I look forward to seeing more of your videos.
Great video! Reminds me of the old mills by the mill store in Franklin, MA. The place was literally almost a shell, falling in on itself with almost nothing left, until the facade and property were saved for apartments and condos. They’re beautiful, but it’s been in the newspaper over the years that residents report what they can only describe as hauntings. With all the history, who knows… This place would’ve made a beautiful, history filled place to live.
This yet another of your great videos! For over fifteen years I worked for a (formerly) very large computer company at their headquarters in a 1,000,000 square foot complex of hundred-year-old buildings. It was a favorite lunchtime habit to go exploring the many strange spaces including tunnels, three-sided elevators, and strange staircases. Your videos bring back fond memories of those buildings, most of which are unused but still in excellent condition.
Your videos are wicked good, Jason. Photography, editing, music, narration, fx. A joy.
Had a pleasure to explore this before its gone such a crazy spot
Awesome video!!!! Let the mill live forever through your video
I was born in Westerly in 1960 so this mill has been falling down for my entire life, it's a shame that nothing is salvageable. It is so easy to get into the mill site, Nice Video!
You’ve done a great job with this video! I live on the road directly in front of this mill so I drive by it multiple times a day. I’ve often wondered what work was done there and what happened that it has now ended up in such disrepair. It’s also a damn shame that the company who now own the property just continue to let it rot. Thank you for shedding some light in a seemingly Hopeless situation. ❤
Jason, this is a masterpiece, your best yet! This was so full of historical information and lots of fun to watch! I enjoyed the lack of graffiti and human destruction, this site was actually beautiful to see. Big time thanks!
Jason, I thoroughly enjoyed your tour of the mill. I have seen many explorations of other buildings which were part of many people's lives, but your study and explanation of the life of the mill made it more interesting. I was drawn to it first being it's in Rhode Island. My family on my father's side is from there, Westerly, and being retired I have more time to dig into the history of the area and its people. I will continue to view and be amazed at your explorations to find out more of what was what in days gone by.
You related to Dave Gordon? WHS 73/4?
I explored this mill many years ago before it collapsed, there was a large hole in the floor but it was completely navigable. Probably my all-time favorite exploration!
What else do you remember? Roar of the river? Views out the window s?
I live in the town this is in. I actually lived across from the mill back in 2007. I believe it’s mostly still there as shown in your fantastic video.
FABULOUS coverage/Thanks so much for creating this 🎥!!!🙌🏻
Jason great job as always 👍 your really talented at tell the story thanks for sharing this ✌️
Phenomenal videos man, keep up the awesome work!
By far my favorite RUclips channel. That place is awesome.
amazing video like always!!!!! cant wait for the next one!! 👀🤫🔥
I absolutely appreciate your work. Great job buddie. Mabey do a video of LADD SCHOOL . I remember going to my moms work as a young child. Never have i seen anything like that.
Love the vid- did anyone else notice the Heron sitting atop the gable end of the granite building at 15:53?
Fantastic video, Jason!
Really nice work Jason.
I grew up down the road. I’ve always been fascinated by this mill!
A very fascinating summary of the buildings history. A shame it will be torn down.
Thank You! Awesome!!!
Production quality is amazing and I love this content. Keep em coming. Have a Dell's lemonade and an Iggy's clam cake on me!
Follow up, can you do something on the textile mill in Forestdale on the Branch river?
I did a short one about that mill a few years ago that's on my channel. It was last used as a recycling center so the interior is just filled with trash and junk now - I might revisit it for a longer video, though.
@@JasonAllard I remember standing on School St as a young child watching it burn. It has a long history, and also a Superfund site!
Native to the town. I would drive by sometimes but never walked onto the grounds. I wondered what the history was. Thank you for showing what was there.
Drove by the property a week ago. Town of Hopkington, had it demolished, not to long ago,
i always love your videos .....well done
A flash back to my childhood. I lived in the village located on the east side of the river in the 50’s and remember watching older kids jumping off the bridge over the dam into the river.
wow i live here now can’t imagine how life in the 50s were
Another great video! Thank you from this Mill nerd.
Thank you and you’re welcome from another mill nerd 🤓
again a BILLION LIKES and a BILLION THUMBS up from me Mr Jason your the best of the best at what you do ..... sadly the mill and property are too far gone to be saved the only thing can be put there is a nice river front park for everyone to enjoy
I've been waiting for your video
me and my friends used to visit that place a lot
I had quickly guessed Pinto and I used to have a Datsun 210! My first car.
Here in Wisconsin in Waupaca is the last operating water powered Ghrist Mill, while the actual mill building is gone, all the machinery was left out next the mill's warehouse, inside the warehouse is still all the conveyer belt machinery, although you have to talk with the owner of the mill to see the inside although I don't know who the owner is, if you find him he will probably be willing to let you in, he let many Waupaca history fans and Historical Society Members inside, the mill is called the Fisher Fallgatter (Fall-I-Gator) mill, and there are no vandals because its impossible to get in and it looks like a still operating building slightly
That's really cool jason the next time I'm in westerly I'll have to go check it out
Nice find
You literally have a video on every spot I've been to. I have been inside every room in building of the potter mill before it all basically fell down. This is just nuts to me because I live 5 miles away from the mill. Which is also very close to the abandoned nuclear power plant. ( I just watched that video )
Anyway back in the 90s and early 2000s we scrapped the hell out of that place. Young kids getting beer $ lol. I have some great memories at that location.
9:39 lemme tell ya, the top floor was SKETCHY back in the day. It was definitely NOT a safe place to explore, but we did it anyway.
I love seeing my hometown 😭 I used to drive past here every day
I visited here in 1967. The main building was still intact. Time cards were still lying around, the large leather belts hung overhead and mirrored the very wide wooden floorboards. The roof leaked and water stained and smeared everything.
Stairs creeped loudly and upper floors were covered in bird poop and feathers.
Some windows were broken by vandals, but no graffiti. The waterwheel was in place in the race, but not turning, tho the lock & levers were in place.
As a kid, I wasn’t sure what I was looking at. I knew it had been the focus of many lives. I could feel the souls of those who came here years before. I could sense their dedicated efforts and labors.
It was a serious place. Not frivolous.
A place where you could die if you didn’t pay attention. That’s all it took-a momentary lapse if focus and poof. Over.
Life is like that.
wise words
Did you see the bird (I think it’s some type of heron) on top of the building at 15:56? Pretty cool!!
Very interesting video--it would have looked great restored as apartments because of its waterside location.
Hey I'm from Westerly. Whoah, what a cool video. Cottrel and Babcock are names I am familiar with. The Babcock-Smith house is a historic site with its own society and executive board managing the location as a museum. Cottrel is the name of the bridge down the road from my house. These must have been wealthy families back in the day, when Westerly was more industrial.
That note about the pink granite was interesting too. Westerly is home to world-standard granite and used to have many quarries. Today, we have two. The granite is pink. In the woods, you can walk along and happen upon great rectangular holes out of the bedrock, reaching greater than 30ft down and hundreds of feet across. One time, I've found a tunnel next to a quarry.
I've never walked into the mill, but I've kayaked past it around twenty times.
This is in Westerly RI my home town
Nice work Jason! Now I know another definition of a grail (without having to fight the black knight 😁)
🐇☠️
Being from mass I really appreciate you’re a Rhode Island RUclips😂 lfggg😮💨🔥🔥
Weird, I found a ground up Datsun B210 just outside Myles Standish state forest when I was a kid.
The roof on the woonsocket water works building recently collapsed.. you can see into it.. part of it looks like a church or something inside 🤔.. great video, thanks for sharing 👍.
All the water works buildings in towns near me are close to knights of Columbus halls and have stained glass windows in the water works buildings themselves for knights of Columbus. Likely would have church or temple features. Much older than we're told
how would one get in? i swung by and the only way i saw was a small lot with fence and no trespassing. i assume you parked elsewhere and hiked in? would love to get a closer look before they demo it
Pink Granite is pretty uncommon. It likely was sourced by one of the old quarries in Milford Massachusetts, also known as Fletcher Granite.
I need a Del’s too!
watermelon/lemon combo all day
Found it it’s in Connecticut boarder. Ive already been there lucked out.
"What's that thing?" LOL Although perhaps a permanent inclusion in the series from here on? Bravo, another very good production, keep up the good work!
👏👏👏
my house is right near there!!!
❤❤❤
Gratitude
If you go there and just look and are careful there isn't a problem. People go to a place like that and do something stupid and get hurt, then immediately start looking for someone to sue. If you get hurt just deal with it. No one makes a person go there!!
Del's lemonade, coffee milk. 100% you live within 20 miles of Attleboro and Pawtucket. You know the twin cities of sin. LOL
Hey Jason Allen I really need to talk to you about this video it's really important if you want to save this mill and all the buildings
Yes those days were long and hard, but as long as you worked you were guaranteed a job and a living, and if you were frugal you lived good ; unlike these days
The city should have taken the property in the sixties and sold it to the highest bidder or turned it into senior housing. Private property owners have too much power to destroy the history of the common people. Finally, this video is really well done, but I wish they have brought in a local person for more background.
Did they tear it down?
Yes, drove by it a week ago.
No its still up. I live in Ashaway less than a minute from there
Shameful that they cannot save any part of this mill, it'll be flattened and rebuilt as million dollar condos
Am I mistaken but 8 minutes in you still haven’t told us the address of this Mill
Rhode Island. Lol you must
Not be from the south. Close to Taylor Swift. Haha
Did they demolish this yet?
Yes, drove by the place a week ago.
No its still there. I live in Ashaway less than a minute away
Jason, it is good to see you growing in your project planning and post-production skills. That is very evident in this video. Congrats!
I see you experimenting with modes of story-telling and tools to maintain pace and energy. From a technical perspective these were well executed. From a congruity with subject matter perspective, they were uneven. Your attempts to be irreverent/cheeky did help with pacing, but at the expense of conflict with the tone of awe and reverence for the place that you fostered elsewhere. Likewise, you built up expectation that you would go into the main building. That worked, but the payoff wasn't there when you only went just through the door. Be clear, I'm not saying you should have gone further, but the expectation you created didn't have proper payoff.
I would have liked to see more archive work and particularly worker narratives. Where did they live and what was their working life like? You told us, but video is about see and hear. You clearly grew in doing archive work, and it paid off - but go more in that direction.
Understand the scope, purpose, and audience of your piece and trust it. This is a niche mini-doc with an audience fascinated with ruins. Done well, you will get crossover appeal to a wider audience - and you do. By using general audience gimmicks for pacing and "personality" you turned off your core audience and actually hurt the splashover into general interest viewers. Trust your content. Trust a story told well.
Best of luck. You are onto something and are on the path to a more mature storytelling as you develop your techniques. Maybe watch PBS' old show History Detectives with an eye toward how they used history storytelling with a first-person narrator personality-throughline. That seems to be in line with what you are going for here.
This looks like a beautiful place but be careful with this kind of urban exploring. Anytime there are boilers, steam or things hot you always need to be careful about asbestos exposure. The stuff hangs and can be even inside and all kinds of places flaking away into the air without your knowing about it. It stick to your hair, skin, clothes and goes with you contaminating everything yours forever like your car or house forever increasing your and the cancer risk of everyone around those places. I see videos urban explorers wearing N95 masks and that is a joke. Not only is N95 not enough to stop the small particles because it won't, but the fibers can also get into your eyes, and still contaminate your skin and clothing. To do it right you need an N100 full face respirator *AND* the full hazmat suit, and you have to rinse yourself as you take off the hazmat suit because asbestos is water soluble and that stops the fibers from aerosolizing and getting on your clothes as you are taking off the suit. I used to volunteer on historic ships and learned all about that kind of stuff. Be careful
It’s always sad and melancholy and makes me introspective seeing things like this. Once so vital and necessary, once it provided jobs that supported families… Now it’s just forgotten. An obstacle to progress.😕🥺🫤