Peace Dale, Rhode Island
Encyclopedia
Peace Dale is a village in the town of South Kingstown
, Rhode Island
. Together with the village of Wakefield
, it is treated by the U.S. Census as a component of the census designated place identified as Wakefield-Peacedale, Rhode Island
.
The Peace Dale Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as an historic district
in 1987. The historic district is roughly bounded by Kersey Rd., Oakwoods Dr., Kingstown Rd., School, Church and Railroad Sts., and contains the historic core of the village.
machines to process wool in Rhode Island. In 1814, Hazard was also one of the first American manufacturers to employ narrow-width power loom
s, and also was the first woolen manufacturer to combine all his manufacturing processes under one roof, from wool carding through spinning, weaving, and dyeing.
In 1819 Rowland Hazard's sons Isaac P. Hazard and Rowland G. Hazard
assumed management responsibility for the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company. A third brother, Joseph P. Hazard, joined them as a partner in 1828, and the business took the name "R.G. Hazard & Co."
Around 1820 the senior Rowland Hazard renamed the nearby industrial village to Wakefield after the town and family of the same name in England, who were friends of his. Prior to this, the village had been called McCoon's Mill for the snuff
mill that by the 1820s had been converted to manufacturing woolen textiles.
After an 1845 fire destroyed one of the mill buildings, the brothers built new facilities, including expanded hydropower
systems and a fireproof stone factory. In 1848 the partnership incorporated, becoming the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company, with Isaac P. Hazard as president and Rowland G. Hazard as secretary/treasurer. In 1849 the business started a transition into making woolen shawls and other high-quality woolens instead of cheaper fabrics.
Later in the 19th century, the sons of Rowland G. Hazard, John N. and Rowland Hazard II (1829-1898), assumed responsibility for operating the Peace Dale Mills. In 1856 Rowland Hazard II, an amateur architect, designed several new buildings in Peace Dale, including a new stone waving mill and a stone building located across from the mills that housed offices, a store, the village post office, and a public hall. Over the next several decades he influenced the construction and design of numerous additional buildings, accounting for more than half of the built environment of modern Peace Dale. Rowland Hazard II also was an initial investor in the Solvay Process Company
, with works at Solvay, New York
, and served as the company's first president.
Peace Dale's mills operated for woolen manufacturing until 1948, when the manufacturing machinery was removed.
in the historic district include:
South Kingstown, Rhode Island
South Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 30,639 at the 2010 census.South Kingstown includes the villages of Kingston, West Kingston, Wakefield, Peace Dale, Snug Harbor, Tuckertown, East Matunuck, Matunuck, Green Hill, and Perryville. Peace...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. Together with the village of Wakefield
Wakefield, Rhode Island
Wakefield is a village in the town of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, and the commercial center of the town. Together with the village of Peace Dale, it is treated by the U.S. Census as a component of the census designated place identified as Wakefield-Peacedale, Rhode Island. South Kingston was...
, it is treated by the U.S. Census as a component of the census designated place identified as Wakefield-Peacedale, Rhode Island
Wakefield-Peacedale, Rhode Island
Wakefield-Peacedale is a census-designated place in the town of South Kingstown in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States that includes the villages of Peace Dale and Wakefield...
.
The Peace Dale Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as an historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
in 1987. The historic district is roughly bounded by Kersey Rd., Oakwoods Dr., Kingstown Rd., School, Church and Railroad Sts., and contains the historic core of the village.
History
Peace Dale was founded around 1800 by South Kingstown industrialist Rowland Hazard. Around 1804, Hazard reputedly pioneered the use of cardingCarding
Carding is a mechanical process that breaks up locks and unorganised clumps of fibre and then aligns the individual fibres so that they are more or less parallel with each other. The word is derived from the Latin carduus meaning teasel, as dried vegetable teasels were first used to comb the raw wool...
machines to process wool in Rhode Island. In 1814, Hazard was also one of the first American manufacturers to employ narrow-width power loom
Power loom
A power loom is a mechanized loom powered by a line shaft. The first power loom was designed in 1784 by Edmund Cartwright and first built in 1785. It was refined over the next 47 years until a design by Kenworthy and Bullough, made the operation completely automatic. This was known as the...
s, and also was the first woolen manufacturer to combine all his manufacturing processes under one roof, from wool carding through spinning, weaving, and dyeing.
In 1819 Rowland Hazard's sons Isaac P. Hazard and Rowland G. Hazard
Rowland G. Hazard
Rowland Gibson Hazard was an American industrialist, politician, and social reformer.-Early life:Hazard was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island in 1801. His parents were Rowland Hazard , founder in 1802 of the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company in Peace Dale, Rhode Island, and the former Mary Peace...
assumed management responsibility for the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company. A third brother, Joseph P. Hazard, joined them as a partner in 1828, and the business took the name "R.G. Hazard & Co."
Around 1820 the senior Rowland Hazard renamed the nearby industrial village to Wakefield after the town and family of the same name in England, who were friends of his. Prior to this, the village had been called McCoon's Mill for the snuff
Snuff
Snuff is a product made from ground or pulverised tobacco leaves. It is an example of smokeless tobacco. It originated in the Americas and was in common use in Europe by the 17th century...
mill that by the 1820s had been converted to manufacturing woolen textiles.
After an 1845 fire destroyed one of the mill buildings, the brothers built new facilities, including expanded hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
systems and a fireproof stone factory. In 1848 the partnership incorporated, becoming the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company, with Isaac P. Hazard as president and Rowland G. Hazard as secretary/treasurer. In 1849 the business started a transition into making woolen shawls and other high-quality woolens instead of cheaper fabrics.
Later in the 19th century, the sons of Rowland G. Hazard, John N. and Rowland Hazard II (1829-1898), assumed responsibility for operating the Peace Dale Mills. In 1856 Rowland Hazard II, an amateur architect, designed several new buildings in Peace Dale, including a new stone waving mill and a stone building located across from the mills that housed offices, a store, the village post office, and a public hall. Over the next several decades he influenced the construction and design of numerous additional buildings, accounting for more than half of the built environment of modern Peace Dale. Rowland Hazard II also was an initial investor in the Solvay Process Company
Solvay Process Company
The Solvay Process Company was a pioneer chemical industry of the United States in the manufacture of soda ash and a major employer in Central New York...
, with works at Solvay, New York
Solvay, New York
Solvay is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, and a suburb of the city of Syracuse. According to the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 6,845...
, and served as the company's first president.
Peace Dale's mills operated for woolen manufacturing until 1948, when the manufacturing machinery was removed.
Contributing properties
Buildings in Peace Dale that are identified as contributing propertiesContributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
in the historic district include:
- Peace Dale Congregational Church, a Gothic Revival church built in 1870-72 on Columbia St.
- Peace Dale Manufacturing Company Barn, a secondary structure built in 1866, on Green St.
- Peace Dale Grammar School, a Colonial Revival school built in 1923, on Kersey Rd.
- Former Peace Dale Grammar School, built in 1902 at 8 Kersey Rd., later used for storage.
- Peace Dale Manufacturing Co. Water Power Sys., an energy facility built in the 1850s on Kingstown Rd.
- Hazard Memorial/Peace Dale Library, a RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
former auditorium, built in 1890-91 on Kingstown Rd. - Peace Dale Office Building, built circa 1856 at 604 Kingstown Rd.
- General Isaac Peace Rodman House at 1789 Kingstown Rd.
- Peace Dale Woolen Mill, a Greek Revival factory built in 1847 at Kingstown Rd. and Columbia St.
- Peace Dale Railroad Station (former), built in 1875-76 on Railroad St.
Further reading
- A Stroll Through Memory Lane Vol. I by Oliver T. Stedman. West Kingston RI : Kingston Press c. 1978
- Lost South Kingstown : with a history of ten of its early villages by Kathleen Bossy and Mary Keane. Kingston, R.I. : Pettaquamscutt Historical Society, c. 2004
- History of Washington and Kent counties, Rhode Island by J.R. Cole. New York : W. W. Preston & Co., 1889