Coventry Roots: Harris

This village is located on the north branch of the Pawtuxet River on what was once part of the Burton and Potter farms with a section of the village located in the town of West Warwick. Harris was named for Elisha Harris and was once home to two of Rhode Island's Governors, Elisha Harris (1847-1849) and Henry Howard (1873-1875) and was once also known as Harrisville.

Around 1813 a wooden mill was constructed in the area by Caleb Atwood and Son that produced cotton goods. It was nicknamed the Dumplin Mould and was converted to the Lamphear Machine Shop in 1846. In 1822 with the arrival of Elisha Harris, The Harris Cotton Manufacturing Company was formed, and a new mill was built by a local builder named Gorton Burlingame opposite the 1813 mill. 

As manufacturing needs grew, Providence Architect, James Bucklin (who designed the Arcade in Providence) was hired to draw the plans for a new mill in 1850 and David Whitman was hired to construct the mill. The mill was a three-story stuccoed rubble stone structure measuring 174’ x 48’, with an additional ell that was 43’ x 42’. The roof had a clerestory monitor to allow in sunlight. The bell tower had a Greek Revival Belfry, which at some time in its history was removed. 

In 1860 The Harris Cotton Manufacturing Company constructed a third mill along the banks of the Pawtuxet River on the same side as the 1813 mill and included a dam. The 1860 mill was demolished but the dam still stands today.  Two raceways led to the 1850 and 1860 mills and were used to supply water to operate the machines and to power the Corliss Steam Engines that were installed later.

With the death of Harris in 1861 the manufacturing company passed to his son-in-law, Henry Howard and in May 1865 the Harris Manufacturing Company was incorporated. In 1873 the United States economy was hit by a depression that impacted the textile industry in Rhode Island. Great textile families like the Spragues were devastated, but under the leadership of Henry Howard the Harris Manufacturing Company survived.

By 1883 Howard had been joined by his son, Elisha H. Howard, and son-in-law, Edward C. Bucklin, in the business. The company decided to build a 75’ x 175’ stone addition to the 1850 Harris Mill.  The types of cotton goods produced in these mills were cotton sheeting, plain and twilled cloth. 

In May 1900 the Arkwright - Interlaken Manufacturing Company (see ) acquired the Harris Mill and operated it until 1954.  In September 1929 the original mill of 1813 was razed.

Today the village contains a nice collection of nineteenth century mill workers’ houses and as the architectural historian, Henry R. Hitchcock notes in his book Rhode Island Architecture, “the 1850 mill is one of the finest mills in the state.”