Join us to explore the history of Lockwood Cotton Mills and Waterville’s industrial past. This easy-paced walking tour combines storytelling with historic photographs and maps to help bring the landscape to life.
We’ll begin at Lockwood Mills and explore the surrounding area, with stops highlighting the historic mill buildings themselves, nearby worker housing, and the still-visible, yet camouflaged, gasometer across the street—an important but often overlooked piece of industrial infrastructure. Along the way, we’ll discuss how waterpower, industry, and community were closely connected, and what daily life looked like for the people who lived and worked here.
This walk is designed for a wide audience and offers an accessible introduction to local history, with insights drawn from community knowledge and research. Whether you’re a longtime resident or a first-time visitor, you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of the places you pass every day.
Expect a leisurely walk with periods of standing; comfortable shoes are recommended. These walks are rain or shine, so please dress for the weather of the day. Our walk will be primarily on asphalt and sidewalks with gradual slopes.
This walk topic also connects to the exhibition “Waterville’s Industrial Spirit” at the Redington Museum.
Accessibility:
Most of these sidewalks are recently paved and we will aim to stick to the paved areas. It appears they could be navigated with a walker or wheelchair. If we cross the street, it will be at accessibility points.
Starting Location:
This is a municipal parking lot across from Lockwood Mills, close to the intersection of Spring and Water Streets. We will have our Jane's Walk pennants in hand for visibility and meet everyone on the sidewalk in front of the parking lot.
Ending Location:
We will walk a short loop around, no further than Sunrise Bagel, and return back to this parking lot.
Waterville, Maine 04901
11:00 AM
Organization: Outreach & Education Coordinator, Waterville Historical Society, Redington Museum
