Products of the Mills

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Cotton cloth was always Lowell's major product. But from its earliest years, the mills turned out a variety of textile goods. The Middlesex Company, for instance, manufactured woolen cloth. The Lowell Manufacturing Company was a leading producer of carpets. During the Civil War years, the Lawrence Manufacturing Company moved into the production of hosiery.

Lowell's cotton textiles ranged from pattern weaves to printed cloths. The Merrimack Company specialized in calico prints and pioneered in the development of cloth printing technology. Skilled printers were recruited from England in the early years. The head printer hired by the company in 1825 commanded a salary higher than the treasurer's. Other companies specialized in coarse drillings, sheetings, twilled goods, and shirtings, minimizing competition among Lowell textile firms.

Source: Lowell National Historical Park Handbook 140

 

Next: Lowell's Other Industry