Book excerpt: Laconia's Belknap Mill thrived in the boom of the Industrial Revolution. The historic mill swiftly rose to the forefront of the city's hosiery industry in the nineteenth century. Lakes Region historian Carol Lee Anderson reveals the mill's unique history, including its inventive, entrepreneurial owners, their climb to industrial success and the challenges they overcame. This fascinating story encompasses the saga of countless French-Canadian immigrants whose arrival in the Lakes Region influenced the course of industry and daily life in the city of Laconia. The mill's story continues, and the preservation of this historic textile mill includes a fierce struggle of historic values versus urban renewal. Learn how this early symbol of the Industrial Revolution fought to become the pride of Laconia's industrial heritage.