Briggs Carriage Company facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Briggs Carriage Company
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Massachusetts Show map of Massachusetts Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	14 and 20 Cedar St., Amesbury, Massachusetts
NRHP reference No.	100000822
Added to NRHP	April 3, 2017

The Briggs Carriage Company was an important factory in Amesbury, Massachusetts. It made many different types of vehicles, like carriages and even early car bodies. The buildings at 14 and 20 Cedar Street are old, built before 1890. They remind us of a time when Amesbury was famous for making carriages. These buildings are so important that they were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

What the Briggs Carriage Company Buildings Look Like

The Briggs Carriage Company buildings are in Amesbury, Massachusetts. They are north of the downtown area. These two buildings are long and rectangular. They are made of brick. Their style is called "commercial Italianate." This was a popular building style in the 1800s for factories.

One building has three floors. The other building has two floors. Many windows have rounded tops. The roof edges have special brick designs. These buildings show how factories looked a long time ago.

The History of Briggs Carriage Company

Starting with Carriages

The Briggs Carriage Company started in the 1850s. At first, they made "jump seat" carriages. These were horse-drawn vehicles. Their first factory was in the center of Amesbury.

In 1870, the company grew bigger. They bought an old textile mill building. Over the next 20 years, they expanded even more. They ended up using four buildings, including the two you can still see today.

Amesbury's Carriage Capital

Amesbury was a very important place for making carriages. More than 30 carriage companies worked there! The Briggs Carriage Company was one of the biggest. It was also one of the most successful. They made many different kinds of carriages.

Making Streetcars and Cars

In 1889, the company started making something new. They began building streetcars at their 20 Cedar Street factory. Streetcars are like small trains that run on tracks in cities. They continued making streetcars until 1903.

After that, Briggs Carriage Company started making parts for cars. At first, they made car bodies out of wood. These looked a lot like carriages. Later, they began using aluminum. This was a big step towards modern cars.

The company stayed in business for a long time. But in 1929, they closed down. Since then, the buildings have been used for many different businesses. They are a cool reminder of Amesbury's past.

Gallery

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  An 1884 Briggs streetcar made for Manchester, New Hampshire.

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  A "Tally-Ho" carriage from Briggs Carriage Co. It was shown at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.