This is a terrific and historically important early view of the Patchogue Manufacturing Works, better known locally as the Patchogue Lace Mill, Patchogue, Long Island, New York. the postcard was published by the Illustrated Post Card Co., New York and this is number 4493 in the series. The image captures the massive brick mill complex along West Main Street, dominated by its tall smokestack and long rows of factory windows. Particularly wonderful is the foreground activity: a steady stream of men riding bicycles past the mill — likely workers either arriving for or leaving their shifts. It is a vivid slice of early 20th century industrial Long Island life. The postcard is postmarked 1908 and features an undivided back, placing its production firmly in the early postcard era. The crisp industrial composition combined with the human movement in the street gives this card strong visual appeal beyond its historical importance. Officially known as the Patchogue Manufacturing Company, and later the Patchogue-Plymouth Lace Mill, this was a sprawling 12-acre industrial complex that served as the economic heart of Patchogue for more than half a century. The site began as a small water-powered cotton mill in the 1700s. Over time it hosted paper, twine, and woolen operations before its transformation into a major lace producer. In 1880, Scottish manufacturers leased the site and began producing crinoline. By 1890, it was sold to the Patchogue Lace Manufacturing Company, which famously imported looms and skilled weavers from Nottingham, England — then the lace capital of the world. The mill became known for its high-quality lace curtains and tablecloths. At its height, the mill employed between 800 and nearly 3,000 workers, making it one of the largest employers in Suffolk County. So central was the mill to community life that locals nicknamed it “The College,” since many high school graduates went directly to work there. During the war years, production shifted to military needs including parachutes, mosquito netting, camouflage materials, and fabric for G.I. uniforms. Post-war labor challenges and falling demand for lace led the company to relocate operations to Georgia in 1954, leaving the Patchogue site vacant. After years of light industrial reuse, including storage of flammable materials, a devastating fire on January 17, 1972, destroyed much of the complex. The remaining charred structures — including the iconic 150-foot smokestack — were finally demolished between 1996 and 1998. Today the site is remembered as one of the most important industrial landmarks in Suffolk County history. Salvaged bricks from the mill were later incorporated into redevelopment on the property. SOLD
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
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