Mill Talk: Yankees, immigrants, and the path to political power—The mill towns of Dedham and Waltham

Many of New England’s early mill villages, such as Lowell and Lawrence, were planned as new, purpose-built industrial sites in isolated locations with little or no existing settlement. In contrast, the mill district in Dedham flourished within the boundaries of an old Yankee town with a well-established regional identity. This talk will explore tensions between the native-born residents of Dedham and the working-class neighborhood that developed around the mills, where the largely immigrant population differed in language, religion and traditional customs. Although such tensions appeared in Waltham as well, for various reasons, immigrants achieved local political influence much more quickly in Waltham than in Dedham.

Presented by Judy Neiswander, author of “Mother Brook and the Mills of East Dedham.”

Free to the public, but registration required.