Exploring the ABANDONED American Woolen Company Buildings (Norwich, CT)

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Located along the banks of the Thames River in the city of Norwich, Connecticut stands the hulking ruins of three textile mills, two of which are completely abandoned and unused. A relic of the city's rich industrial history, these mills were constructed between 1916 and 1921 for use by the Norwich Woolen Company. Later in 1921, they were acquired by the American Woolen Company, which was a conglomerate of several New England textile manufacturers. At this time, the America Woolen Company was the world's largest manufacturer of woolen and worsted fabrics, and mills like these in Norwich perpetuated its fruitful operations. While business was booming for the textile company in the 1920s, operations began to decline in the 1930s, with the number of workers dropping sharply. By 1955, the American Woolen Company mills in Norwich had permanently closed due to competition in the South, among other factors, although the mill buildings would still find some use afterwards. Sawyer Displays, Inc., a company which produced advertising products, was centered in the mills up until the late-20th century, when it, too, ceased operations. Ever since then, the former American Woolen Company mill buildings have been completely abandoned, outside of one, which has been converted into a public storage facility.

It has been a few months since my last hardcore urban exploration adventure, so I was excited to check out this massive site and see what it has to offer! The central building has roughly six floors, all of which are empty and abandoned, other than structural columns and a freight elevator. Next door is a much smaller building at four floors, also empty and neglected. There is also a third building, although this one has been semi-converted into a storage facility, and thus, I did not explore it. Still, these abandoned mill buildings offer a look into Norwich's industrial past, especially the New England textile industrial, which was once thriving. These buildings, especially the central one, are hulking concrete shells, overlooking the stunning Thames River and the nearby Mohegan Sun casino. The former American Woolen Company buildings are truly an urban playground worth exploring, and a must-see for any New England urban explorer! If you guys liked this video, make sure to stay tuned for more exploration videos all across New England!

https://connecticutmills.org/find/det...

00:00 J-MASS Intro
00:41 Introduction to the American Woolen Company Buildings
02:54 Exploring the First Building
24:48 Exploring the Second Building
34:53 Exterior of the Buildings
36:33 Outro
38:38 Drone Footage