These boarding houses were located on Factory Island in Biddeford, and were for the workers at that mill. Samuel Bachelder, general manager of York Manufacturing Company, had these boarding houses built on Gooch St. and they housed farm girls brought in to work in the mills.

Women were the majority of mill workers with the men as the managers or mechanics to repair the looms. At these boarding houses there would be a matron to look after the boarders and maintain the curfew when the doors were opened or locked for the night. The work day started for the women at 5 or 6 a.m., with half hour breaks for breakfast and lunch.

Pictured in front of the first building is a horse and two wagons and two figures. A man seems to be carrying a box and the woman is addressing him. The horse and wagons are moving furniture.