Due to inclement weather, this talk will be held completely virtually through Zoom. Please register to receive the Zoom link.
Industrial mills once dotted the landscape in New England, particularly along the Blackstone River Valley, which extends from Worcester, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island. These mills are gradually disappearing because they fall into disrepair, require too much maintenance, and are filled with hazardous materials like asbestos. Therefore, tearing them down is more cost-effective. Join genealogist Bonnie Wade Mucia as she explores the history of the Bonin Spinning Company Mill in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, which met this fate in 2022, just before its hundredth anniversary.
Bonnie Wade Mucia is the owner of Keeper of the Past Genealogy, LLC, and a professional genealogist focusing on New England research, with a special interest in northern Rhode Island. She serves as Director of the Mayflower Families Silver Books Project for the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, concentrating on Mayflower passengers' descendants. Bonnie has published articles in respected genealogical journals, including the New England Historic Genealogical Society's Mayflower Descendant, Rhode Island Roots Journal of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society, The Maine Genealogist, The Nova Scotia Genealogist and others. Bonnie is actively pursuing her Accreditation with the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen), specializing in the New England Region. Originally from Woonsocket, Bonnie lives with her husband, Joseph, in South Carolina.
The Museum’s 2025 Valley Talks series is presented by the Museum of Work & Culture Preservation Foundation and the RI AFL-CIO.
The Rhode Island Historical Society, the state's oldest and only statewide historical organization, is dedicated to honoring, interpreting and sharing Rhode Island's past to enrich the present and inspire the future. Founded in 1822, the RIHS is an advocate for history as a means to develop empathy and 21st -century skills, using its historical materials and knowledge to explore topics of timeless relevance and public interest. As a Smithsonian Affiliate, it is dedicated to providing high-quality, accessible public programming and educational opportunities for all Rhode Islanders through its four sites: the John Brown House Museum, the Museum of Work & Culture, the Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center and the Aldrich House.
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