Relics From the Textile Age
04 March 2014 -- 63/365
Lincoln, Rhode Island
When water-borne transportation, farming, and the American Industrial Revolution collide, you have the elements of today's photo. The home in the foreground was built by sea captain Wilbur Kelly on farm land he purchased along the Blackstone River Canal. (The canal in this area is still intact, although not photogenic when covered with ice. It's behind me in this photo and isn't shown.) This modest house was built for the Captain's son, Christopher. Kelly bought the mill you see in the background in 1823 when most of the textile mills in the area were struggling financially. The Napoleonic Wars in Europe and the War of 1812 that resulted in the US had not been kind to the industry. Kelly was instrumental in connecting the mills along the Blackstone Canal for improved trade and reduced transportation costs, although the invention of the railroad a few decades later would put the canal out of business.
Post processing started with a classic filter in Topaz B&W FX. I adjusted color sensitivity sliders, adaptive exposure, regions, contrast, boost black, and protect highlights. A levels adjustment was added in PSE.
