Whittall Mills

Last updated

Whittall Mills
Whittall Mills Complex.jpg
USA Massachusetts location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location12 Brussels St.,
Worcester, Massachusetts
Coordinates 42°14′27″N71°48′54″W / 42.24083°N 71.81500°W / 42.24083; -71.81500
Built1890
Architectural styleColonial Revival
MPS Worcester MRA
NRHP reference No. 80000490 [1]
Added to NRHPMarch 5, 1980

The Whittall Mills is an historic industrial complex in southern Worcester, Massachusetts. The complex, which was built between 1870 and 1930, is a reminder of the large carpet manufacturing business that was once a major presence in the city. It is a complex of 15 brick buildings located on a bend of the Middle River (a tributary of the Blackstone River), south of Crompton Street and just west of Interstate 290. [2]

The mill complex has its origins in about 1870, when the first of the surviving buildings, a three-story brick building with a mansard roof, was erected by the Crompton Rug Company. It was followed a few years later by a dye house. Crompton Rug went out of business in 1879, and these premises were leased to William Hogg, who eventually formed the Worcester Carpet Company, which expanded the complex with a second major mill and the purchase of additional water rights in 1893. [2]

Matthew Whittall, who first gained notice as a supervisor at Crompton Rug, had opened his own factory in other parts of Worcester in 1874. By 1883 his business had grown, and he acquired land next to the Crompton works, where he built a series of buildings over the next 23 years. At the time of the First World War, Whittall was the largest employer in south Worcester, with 1,500 workers operating 350 mills in 500,000 square feet of factory space. The products he produced were purchased by the federal government for use in its buildings, and were selected by President William McKinley for use in the White House. [2]

Whittall sold the mills in 1950. [2] They were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. [1]

Company logo Book of home building and decoration, prepared in cooperation with and under the direction of the leading manufacturers of the country (1912) (14783425503).jpg
Company logo

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linwood Historic District (Northbridge, Massachusetts)</span> Historic district in Massachusetts, United States

The Linwood Historic District is an industrial historic district in the Linwood village of Northbridge, Massachusetts. It is the site of the Linwood Cotton Mill and is roughly bounded by Linwood Avenue, Maple Court, and Pine Court. On June 16, 1989, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bigelow Carpet Company Woolen Mills</span> United States historic place

The Bigelow Carpet Company Woolen Mills are a historic mill complex on Main Street in Clinton, Massachusetts. The sprawling mill complex was built or expanded by the Bigelow Carpet Company, one of Clinton's leading business for much of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It continues to be adaptively reused by smaller businesses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bigelow Carpet Mill</span> United States historic place

The Bigelow Carpet Mill is an historic textile mill complex at Union and High Streets in Clinton, Massachusetts. Built in 1847 and repeatedly enlarged until 1922, this large mill complex was one of the world's major early automated manufacturers of Brussels tapestry, established by Horatio and Erastus Bigelow. The mill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parkhill Mill</span> United States historic place

The Parkhill Mill is an historic mill complex at 1 Oak Hill Road in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Built between 1885 and 1915, it was one of three mill complexes of the Parkill Company, one of the city's largest employers of the period. The mill complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. The complex has been restored and is used by a variety of public and private businesses, and as residential space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shirley Shaker Village</span> United States historic place

Shirley Shaker Village is a historic former Shaker community in Lancaster and Shirley, Massachusetts. Defined as an historic district, it includes about half of the original buildings and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stafford Mills</span> United States historic place

Stafford Mills is an historic textile mill complex located on County Street in Fall River, Massachusetts, USA. Founded in 1872, it is a well-preserved late-19th century textile complex, typical of the mills built in Fall River during its period of most rapid growth. It is noted in particular for its exceptionally fine Romanesque brick office building. The complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acushnet Heights Historic District</span> Historic district in Massachusetts, United States

The Acushnet Heights Historic District is a predominantly residential historic district in central New Bedford, Massachusetts. It encompasses a densely-built urban area about 20 acres (8.1 ha) in size, which was developed as a working-class area, beginning in the 1860s, for the many workers in the city's factories. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. It abuts the North Bedford Historic District, which is just to the south, and includes the following separately-listed properties: the Union Street Railway Carbarn, the Bradford Smith Building, and the Dawson Building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington Mills Historic District</span> Historic district in Massachusetts, United States

The Arlington Mills Historic District encompasses a major 19th century textile manufacturing complex in Lawrence and Methuen, Massachusetts. Developed between 1865 and 1925, it was one of the state's largest textile operations at its height. At the time of its listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, the mill complex was owned by Malden Mills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ipswich Mills Historic District</span> Historic district in Massachusetts, United States

The Ipswich Mills Historic District encompasses a major textile mill complex and associated worker housing along the Ipswich River near the center of Ipswich, Massachusetts. The district includes the factories of the Ipswich Mill Company, and several blocks of modest worker cottages mostly on side streets off Estes and Kimball Streets. The site had been used as for mills since the 17th century, and was purchased by the Ipswich Mill Company in 1868. Mill worker housing was built surrounding the complex through the early 20th century, when River Court, Peatfield Street, and 1st through 6th Streets were laid out. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washburn and Moen North Works District</span> Historic district in Massachusetts, United States

The Washburn and Moen North Works District encompass an industrial complex that housed the largest business in Worcester, Massachusetts in the second half of the 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Worcester Bleach and Dye Works</span> United States historic place

The Worcester Bleach and Dye Works is a historic factory complex at 60 Fremont Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. It consists of a pair of primarily brick factory buildings, one of which was built in 1909, and the other built later, between 1911 and 1922, for the named company, which was a major local manufacturer of thread. After the Bleach and Dye Works closed its doors in 1938, the complex has seen a succession of other owners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Hogg House</span> Historic house in Massachusetts, United States

The Rice-Hogg House is an historic house at 54 Elm Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. Built in 1853 and substantially altered in 1897, it is a prominent local example of Colonial Revival architecture. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashworth and Jones Factory</span> United States historic place

The Ashworth and Jones Factory is a historic building at 1511 Main Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is one of the architecturally finest mid 19th century factory buildings in the city. Built in 1870 and repeatedly enlarged, most of its sections retain high quality brickwork and mid-19th century Victorian styling. The factory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The complex has been converted into condominium residences known as Kettle Brook Lofts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crompton Loom Works</span> United States historic place

The Crompton Loom Works is an historic industrial complex of the Crompton Corporation at 132-142 Green Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. The factory manufactured looms for textile factories. With its original portion dating to 1860, the complex is one of the oldest surviving industrial sites in the city. The facility was established by George Crompton, whose father William had invented the first power loom for weaving fancy fabrics. The younger Crompton's business would become of the most significant employers in the city, and his innovative looms would revolutionize the textile industry. Crompton and his successors would operate the loom manufacturing works at Green Street well into the 1960s. The manufacturing capabilities on the site were applied to producing can packaging machines and bowling pinsetters. Capabilities at the Green Street facility included machining, drop hammer forging, a cast iron foundry, wood working. and pattern making, along with a materials testing lab.. The building has subsequently been adapted to other uses. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and included as part of the Blackstone Canal Historic District in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Mills Historic District</span> Historic district in Massachusetts, United States

The Central Mills Historic District encompasses a historic mill complex on the Quinebaug River in central Southbridge, Massachusetts. Located at the corner of Foster and North Streets, the site consists of three brick buildings, the oldest of which has portions dating to 1837. Despite being extensively rebuilt in the early 20th century, the complex has an appearance that is more typical of 19th century mills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamilton Woolen Company Historic District</span> Historic district in Massachusetts, United States

The Hamilton Woolen Company Historic District encompasses the well preserved "Big Mill" complex of the Hamilton Woolen Company, built in the mid 19th century. Located at the confluence of McKinstry Brook and the Quinebaug River in central Southbridge, Massachusetts, the complex consists of a cluster of mill buildings and a rare collection of 1830s brick mill worker housing units located nearby. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saco–Pettee Machine Shops</span> United States historic place

The Saco–Pettee Machine Shops is a historic factory complex at 156 Oak Street in the Newton Upper Falls area of Newton, Massachusetts. Although the area has an industrial history dating to the early 19th century, the oldest buildings in this complex, consisting of about thirteen brick buildings, were built in 1892. The property, a major economic force in the development of Newton Upper Falls, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. It was home to Clark's N.A., the North American home base to Clark's Shoes, makers of fine footwear, until they relocated to Waltham Ma. in October 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillsborough Mills</span> United States historic place

The Hillsborough Mills are a historic textile manufacturing complex at 37 Wilton Road in western Milford, New Hampshire, near its town line with Wilton. The oldest buildings of the brick mill complex were built in 1866 as a carpet-making operation. This business failed in 1874, but the complex was acquired by other textile interests, and eventual saw success producing carpet yarns, and blankets for horses and bedding. The mills were closed in 1970, and have since been adapted for other uses. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cocheco Mills</span> United States historic place

The Cocheco Mills comprise a historic mill complex in the heart of Dover, New Hampshire. The mills occupy a bend in the Cochecho River that has been site of cotton textile manufacturing since at least 1823, when the Dover Manufacturing Company supplanted earlier sawmills and gristmills. The present mill buildings were built between the 1880s and the early 20th century, and were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bigelow-Hartford Carpet Mills</span> United States historic place

The Bigelow-Hartford Carpet Mills were once one of the largest manufacturers of carpeting in the United States. The company's early 20th-century factories, located in Thompsonville, Connecticut, were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Used by a succession of carpet makers until the 1960s, the company complex has for the most part been converted to residential use.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "NRHP nomination for Whittall Mills". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved January 9, 2014.