Pontiac Mills History

Pontiac Mills is a historic mill complex in Warwick, Rhode Island, best known as the birthplace of the Fruit of the Loom brand. Its industrial story began in 1810, when brothers Horatio and Dutee Arnold established a small, water-powered grist and sawmill beside the Pawtuxet River. The site later expanded under John Hopkins Clarke and, from 1852, the Knight brothers, whose company produced cotton goods and began selling them as Fruit of the Loom in 1856.

In 1863, the Knights replaced the earlier mill with a large brick complex equipped with advanced steam power. Pontiac Mills became a major textile producer, supplying uniforms for the Union during the Civil War, and its bell tower was dedicated at the mill’s opening by President Abraham Lincoln. The complex also included an on-site bleachery for bleaching, dyeing, and finishing fabrics. Its history encompasses industrial innovation, labor disputes, unusual architecture, and a long path toward redevelopment.