Greater Utica Magazine Cover – June 2020 – Capron New Hartford NY Industrial History

The June 2020 cover of Greater Utica Magazine highlights the history of Capron New Hartford NY, an early industrial hub that developed along Sauquoit Creek during the rise of textile manufacturing in Central New York.

In 1820, Dr. Seth Capron and others erected the second cotton mill in New York State along the Sauquoit Creek. As was common during the height of mill development, entire communities grew around these industrial centers. Many of the homes in Capron New Hartford NY were company-owned, supporting workers and their families.

The Capron area of New Hartford stretched from the mill toward what is now South Utica. Historical newspapers often referred to it as the “Village of Capron” in New Hartford. While the original mill name is not definitively confirmed, during the industrial expansion of the 1880s it became known as the Utica Cotton Company.

By 1882, the site had grown into a major industrial complex. A massive three-story mill housing 125 looms stood at its center, supported by 25 two-family worker homes, a company-owned school, boarding house, storehouse, and carpentry shop. At its peak, the mill processed approximately 325,000 yards of sheets and other cloth products each month, making Capron New Hartford NY a significant contributor to the region’s textile industry.

In 1922, the Capron area was annexed into the City of Utica. As textile manufacturing declined and mills began moving south, the property was repurposed. Around 1931, the mill was acquired by the Sitrue Company and converted into a paper mill. In 1956, it became Sitrue-Doeskin after acquisition by Doeskin Products.

The mill ultimately closed in 1968 after being purchased by Consolidated Paper Corporation of Montreal. A decade later, on November 8, 1978, the historic structure was destroyed by a massive three-alarm fire, marking the end of one of the region’s most important early industrial sites.

This cover preserves the legacy of Capron New Hartford NY, reflecting its transformation from a thriving mill community to a key chapter in Utica’s industrial history.