We took them to Sun and Moon Korean in East Providence - great stuff - on Friday, then Three Sisters for ice cream. We went to the Lippitt Park Farmers' Market and craft fair on Saturday morning, then we threw a long overdue housewarming openhouse potluck party for neighbors, friends and colleagues that afternoon/evening. The weather was splendid, and people seemed to enjoy it.
On Sunday morning we visited Slater Mill. Samuel Slater was the original industrialist in America. He came from England against British law at the age of 21 (I think) and built the first water-powered thread-making facility in the New World right here in Pawtucket's Blackstone Valley. To run the shop, he employed child laborers - typically 6 to 14 years old - from neighboring farms.
Here's one of our guides showing us how to hand-process flax so it'll be suitable for thread.
Here's a massive thread-making machine that would crush a young person to death if they slipped, tripped or got too tired working sun-up to sun-down six days per week.
Actually most of the machines in the mill are very dangerous. Giant gears turning. Taut belts whirling. Pretty frightening.
After Slater Mill, we went to Roger Williams Park - a beautiful, big park in Cranston just south of Providence city limits. I saw this little plaque buried in one of the sidewalks.
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