Hamilton Woolen Company Presentation

Jacob Edwards Library is pleased to host a presentation on the Hamilton Woolen Company by Dr. Teresa Fava Thomas.

The Hamilton Woolen Company produced primarily woolen products, especially after the Civil War cut off cotton supplies. It remained a major presence in town until a strike in 1934 closed its doors forever. Its complex underwent expansion in the late 19th century, but many of these buildings have not survived. The company added several buildings to the complex in 1929, most notable the dye building, which features a large segmented arch window. The program will discuss the influence of the Hamilton Woolen Company on the town of Southbridge and beyond, as well as chart the history of the company.

Dr. Teresa Fava Thomas is a professor of history at Fitchburg State University. She has taught in the graduate and undergraduate programs since 1996 including Italian American History: Immigration and Identity as well as Modern Italian History. Professor Fava Thomas has also taught in FSU’s Study Abroad program at Verona, Italy, organized public discussion panels on Italian-American issues, and hosted an annual film series on Italian and Italian-American issues. As a member of FSU’s Center for Italian Culture’s Advisory Board, she has also designed curriculum for a US Dept of Education grant-funded graduate program, the Teaching American History project, which included a seminar on immigration history