From the mid-nineteenth through the early twentieth century, industry was central to the growth and development of Glens Falls, shaping the city’s economy, neighborhoods, and daily life. Sawmills, paper mills, textile factories, stone quarries, and other businesses provided employment and helped establish Glens Falls as an important manufacturing center at the southern edge of the Adirondack Park. The Feeder Canal and, later, the railroad connected the growing city to regional and national markets, allowing local industries to transport raw materials and finished goods more efficiently and creating new opportunities for businesses to expand. As factories and mills grew, so did the workforce and the neighborhoods that supported them, laying an industrial foundation that continues to shape Glens Falls today.
Featured Image: S.R. Stoddard (1843–1917), 971. Glens Falls Black Marble Quarry, 1884, Chapman Museum 1966.16.36
This exhibit is made possible by funds provided by the estate of Joseph Cutshall-King.