American Waltham Watch Company Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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American Waltham Watch Company Historic District
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 185-241 Crescent St., Waltham, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 8.2 acres (3.3 ha) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Romanesque |
| MPS | Waltham MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001501 |
| Added to NRHP | September 28, 1989 |
The American Waltham Watch Company Historic District is a special area in Waltham, Massachusetts. It used to be the huge factory of the Waltham Watch Company. This company was super important in the 1800s. It made more watches than anyone else in America! It was also the biggest employer in Waltham.
The factory buildings are on Crescent Street, right next to the Charles River. They were built between the 1870s and 1910s. These buildings show off amazing industrial Romanesque style architecture. After the company stopped making watches in the 1950s, the buildings found new life. Today, they are used for many different things. You can find shops, businesses, and even homes there. This historic area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
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What is the Waltham Watch Factory?
The Waltham Watch factory is a large group of buildings. It is located in South Waltham, a part of the city. The factory covers about 8 acres (3.2 hectares) of land. It sits on the south bank of the Charles River. Prospect Street is to the north, and Crescent Street is to the east.
The buildings are made of red brick. They are very long, stretching almost 1,000 feet (300 meters). Most buildings have four floors above ground, plus a basement. You will see many large windows on the outside. These windows are set in arched openings. The factory has different roof styles. It also features several towers, turrets, and decorative tops. All these details give the buildings a strong, unified Romanesque look.
How the Watch Company Started
The very first version of the Waltham Watch Company began here in 1854. This company was a pioneer. It was the first place where an entire watch was made under one roof. Before this, different parts were made in different places. This new way of working changed how things were made.
Over the years, the company's owners and leaders changed. It became known as the American Waltham Watch Company. New buildings started to go up in 1879. Some of the older buildings were taken down to make way for them.
A Model Factory for Workers
The new factory buildings were praised a lot back then. People called them "model facilities." This meant they were designed to be very good for the workers. The company cared about safety and cleanliness. They even had things like daycare for children. This was very unusual for factories at that time! It showed how forward-thinking the company was.
Major construction on the factory stopped around 1913. The company faced some money problems and changes in ownership. The factory finally closed down around 1962.
New Life for the Old Factory
After watchmaking ended, the factory buildings were rented out. Many different light manufacturing companies moved in. For a while, a company called Panametrics used a big part of the factory. They made special precision equipment. In 2004, a larger company, General Electric, bought Panametrics.
Since then, the old factory has been given a new purpose. It has been changed in an environmentally friendly way. Now, it holds a mix of homes, businesses, and light industries. It's a great example of how old buildings can be reused.
