Paper in Early America

By 1810, there were 185 paper mills in the United States. Today, there are 598 mills, including 47 in Wisconsin.

Papermaking in Early America

Papermaking is one of the oldest industries in the United States. Only 19 years after the Pilgrims came to America, a printing press was set up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At that time, paper was still being shipped from England and Europe.

In 1690, William Rittenhouse built a paper mill near Germantown, Pennsylvania, the only one in the New World until 1710. By 1775, there were only 20 paper mills in the colonies. As the population in America grew, so did the need for more paper.

Early on, papermakers realized that they needed to locate their mills near populated areas that could provide a reliable supply of old rags, which were their main raw material. They also realized that they needed to be near a large supply of fresh water, both for turning the mill machinery and for washing the rag fibers.

In 1789, a Frenchman named Nicholas-Louis Robert invented a prototype of a machine on which paper was formed on a continuous sheet of wire cloth. But it was two prosperous London brothers, Henry and Sealy Fourdrinier, who developed the first practical version of this paper machine in 1804. Many modern paper machines are now referred to as "fourdrinier" machines.

By 1810, there were 185 paper mills in the United States. As existing mills expanded and new mills began production, rags became scarce. American papermakers began experimenting with alternative raw materials, such as tree bark, sugar cane waste, straw, and cornstalks. Today, there are 598 mills, including 47 in Wisconsin.

Click on a link below to explore the history of papermaking!