Stepping onto the manufacturing floor of Wm. J. Mills & Co. in Greenport offers a rare glimpse into a bygone era of American craftsmanship. As the oldest family-run business on the East End, this historic canvas-making operation has sustained itself since 1880 through manual precision, durability, and a deep respect for trade traditions. Moving toward its 150th anniversary, the company is steered by its fifth and sixth generations, who view their multi-century legacy through the practical lens of seasonal schedules and daily problem-solving.
The enterprise began when William J. Mills, a Scottish sailmaker, relocated to Greenport to establish a small waterfront sail loft. Anticipating the eventual shift from sail to motorized vessels, the family strategically expanded in 1921 into residential and commercial canvas awnings, while concurrently operating the local Cedar Island Oyster Company during the region’s historic shellfishing boom. Over the subsequent decades, the awning and marine canvas divisions became the primary pillars of the business as the broader waterfront economy evolved.
A core reason for the company’s longevity is a corporate culture of flexibility and immense employee retention. While production now heavily incorporates computer-aided design (AutoCAD) to plot intricate fabric patterns, the final output remains entirely dependent on highly trained, steady hands. The business treats its workforce like family, cultivating specialized skill sets that allow the team to manage a massive modern workload. Today, the company services between 600 and 700 seasonal clients across the East End each year, handling everything from custom marine fabric repairs to erecting the sprawling canvas awnings for elite regional events like the upcoming 126th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
Even during the winter, the operation maintains an active schedule. Crews carefully remove, inspect, hand-wash, and waterproof client awnings using modern, eco-conscious soaps that are completely free of PFAS and forever chemicals. To maintain strict quality control and manage tight spring turnaround times, the company has also brought advanced manufacturing steps, such as structural welding, entirely in-house.
This seamless blend of historical persistence and adaptability has caught the attention of regional curators. Ongoing research by the Mystic Seaport Museum has identified the Mills lineage as the oldest active sailmaking family in America, with ancestral trade roots extending as far back as 1861. By opening their extensive archives of antique sail plans and oyster records to researchers, the family has helped highlight the deeply interconnected maritime legacy of Long Island, all while remaining proudly dedicated to their historic identity as “men of the cloth”.
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