Image: Alice Mills Rubber Mfg. Plant

Description: Alice Mills Rubber Mfg. Plant, Woonsocket, RI; from a 1911 postcard. Simeon S. Cook, Lyman A. Cook and Joseph Banigan incorporated the Woonsocket Rubber Company in 1867. It began operations at Island Place near Market Square, and for a time, shared facilities with the Bailey Wringer Company. Eventually, the company occupied 1-½ acres at Island Place including the Falls Yarn Mills. While the company initially made rollers for the Bailey Manufacturing Company, it later specialized in rubber shoes and boots. Joseph Banigan built machines and developed a process that allowed the Woonsocket Rubber Company to produce the finest rubber shoes and boots in the world. By 1876, the Woonsocket Rubber Company was producing 130 cases of footwear a day. In 1889, the company built the Alice Mill on Fairmount Street. At the time of its construction, it was the largest rubber mill in the world and employed 1,500 people. Two stair towers project from an immense four story structure. Although utilitarian in purpose, the stair towers also provide visual relief to what would be a facade of overwhelming proportion. By 1890, the Woonsocket Rubber Company was the largest rubber importer in the United States. In 1892, the Woonsocket Rubber Company was sold to the US Rubber Company, but continued to operate under it own name. The company prospered until the 1930's when the Alice mill was closed. It was reopened during the Second World War and remained open until the 1960's. The Alice Mill is currently occupied by Portola Tech Industries, manufacturer of plastic caps and jars for the cosmetic industry.
Title: Alice Mills Rubber Mfg. Plant
Credit: postcard
Author: Unknown authorUnknown author
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No