The Texture of Industry: An Archaeological View of the Industrialization of North America

While historians have given ample attention to stories of entrepreneurship, invention, and labor conflict, they have told us little about actual work-places and how people worked. Workers seldom wrote about their daily employment. However, they did leave behind their tools, products, shops, and factories as well as the surrounding industrial landscapes and communities. In this book, Gordon and Malone look at the industrialization of North America from the perspective of the industrial archaeologist. Using material evidence from such varied sites as Indian steatite quarries, automobile plants, and coal mines, they examine manufacturing technology, transportation systems, and the effects of industrialization on the land. Their research greatly expands our understanding of industry and focuses attention on the contributions of anonymous artisans whose skills shaped our industrial heritage.

Review :
"An amazing book....Perhaps the finest book yet to appear on the history of technology....So groundbreaking that it almost single-handedly transports a new discipline from antiquarianism to solid professional scholarship....The first book in its field that could serve as a text, and it is superb."--American Anthropologist "A work of particular value to architectural historians interested in the analysis of material culture, landscape formation, and the vernacular work environment....The Texture of Industry can be added to almost any syllabus on the American built environment. It should be required reading for architectural historians teaching students to see what we have really built as well as the consequences of our industrial culture."--The Society of Architectural Historians "Gordon and Malone have preserved a part of our industrial heritage that might well have been lost without this scholarly, perceptive, and well-developed work....The Texture of Industry is truly a treasure for anyone interested in industrial history."--Preservation Advocate "The Texture of Industry is a substantially successful work that combines the elements of archaeology and industrial technology. It presents a balanced view of the industrial revolution that purely historical works often lack. More importantly, it can serve as an effective field guide for individuals who want to explore early industrial sites. The Texture of Industry is written in clear, jargon-free language....The book is readable, logically organized, and though-provoking....This book makes a significant contribution to the practice of industrial archaeology."--Journal of Field Archaeology "An amazing book....Perhaps the finest book yet to appear on the history of technology....So groundbreaking that it almost single-handedly transports a new discipline from antiquarianism to solid professional scholarship....The first book in its field that could serve as a text, and it is superb."--American Anthropologist "A well-researched volume....The book comes recommended for the serious scholar and anyone interested in preserving or gaining a scholarly understanding of industrial America. [It] will encourage others hopefully to follow in Gordon's and Malone's footsteps."--American Historical Review