Aspinock Memories
The history of Belding Heminway Corticelli Mill
By Bill Pearsall
Municipal Historian
As the Municipal Historian of the town of Putnam and partnering with the Aspinock Historical Society, I continue to be amazed at the visitors that come to visit our Historical Museum in the Municipal Complex.
Local Putnamites are joined by many from around the state and from around the country. Many visitors share stories about the mills their relatives worked in. Although some of the mills have fallen victim to fires and floods, still others have remained standing. One of the largest remaining of the mills is the Belding Heminway Corticelli Mill on Providence Street.
Originally, the mill was called the Powhattan Mill. It was built in 1872 by Milton Morse and his son George M. Morse to meet the demands for cotton goods. Housing was built the same year on Mohegan and Powhattan streets for mill worker families.
In 1915, George Morse died and his son Augustus Morse decided that he was not interested in keeping the mill in operation. So it was closed and put up for sale.
In 1920, a group of silk thread manufacturers came together to buy the now- vacant Powhattan Mill. The new buyers included the Heminway Silk Company, Belding Brothers, Corticelli Company and the Hammond-Knowlton Silk Company forming a new corporation: Belding, Heminway, Corticelli of Putnam. Silk thread machinery was installed in the mill. They also thought about planting mulberry trees in the hope of raising silk worms locally. Turned out our climate was not suitable for raising silk worms so this never happened.
By 1925, the business was mass producing silk thread on spools for home and industrial stitching. The product was known all over the country for its quality and the fastness of its dyed colors.
During the 1930-1940s, Belding established a Research and Development Division in Putnam making it possible to explore other materials for thread making. Rayon and synthetic materials were explored. Belding became allied with Dupont in the development of nylon, etc. filaments.
In 1941, Belding supplied nylon thread for parachute manufacturing. In later years it broadened its marketing into the shoe industry supplying Orlon thread which was mildew proof.
I believe Belding Heminway Corticelli closed its operation around 1990. I don’t have the exact date. If you know when they closed, please let us know at the Aspinock Museum by calling 860-963-6800 x300.
Credits go to the Aspinock Historical Society archives including former Town Historian Robert Miller’s personal files from 1998.
Aspinock Memories graces the pages of the Putnam Town Crier to keep Putnam’s history alive.
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