Crane and Company Old Stone Mill Rag Room facts for kids
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Crane and Company Old Stone Mill Rag Room
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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HABS photo, 1988
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Dalton, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1844 |
| Architect | Zenas Crane |
| Part of | Cranesville Historic District (ID05001208) |
| NRHP reference No. | 83004376 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 1, 1983 |
| Designated CP | November 9, 2005 |
The Crane and Company Old Stone Mill Rag Room is a very old building from 1844. It was built by Crane & Co., one of the oldest companies in Berkshire County, Massachusetts that makes paper. This special building is in Dalton, where paper has been made since the early 1800s.
The Rag Room was first used to prepare rags for papermaking. Since 1930, it has been home to the Crane Museum of Papermaking. Because of its importance, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1983. This means it's a very important historical place in the United States.
Zenas Crane started making paper in Dalton in 1801. His grandsons built the Old Stone Mill in the 1840s. The Rag Room is the only part of that mill still standing today. Winthrop Murray Crane, Zenas's grandson, learned the paper business here. Thanks to him, Crane & Co. got a special deal to make the paper for all of America's money. They still do this today!
The Rag Room is a gray stone building with a slate roof. Inside, it's a big open space. This space now holds many exhibits and old items from the company's long history.
Contents
The Story of Crane Paper
Zenas Crane (1777–1845) learned how to make paper at his brother's mill. After working at another mill, Zenas looked for a good place to start his own paper business. In 1799, he found a great spot in Dalton. The farmer who owned the land didn't want to sell it. So, Zenas started his mill nearby in 1801.
Other papermakers came to the area later. Two of them, Henry Wiswell and David Carson, bought the better spot. They built what was called the Red Mill. Over time, Zenas Crane slowly gained control of the Red Mill. By 1822, he owned it completely.
In 1842, Zenas Crane retired. He gave control of the Red Mill to his sons, Zenas Marshall Crane and James Brewer Crane. They started the company we know today as Crane & Co.. They wanted to make the business bigger. So, they began building a new mill called the Stone Mill. The Rag Room was built in 1844 as part of this new mill.
In 1851, the famous writer Herman Melville visited the mill. His visit inspired a part of his story The Paradise of Bachelors and the Tartarus of Maids.
In 1869, the Stone Mill was damaged by a fire. While it was being fixed, the Red Mill was completely destroyed by another fire in 1870. The Stone Mill was then made even bigger. It became known as the Pioneer Mill. Crane & Co. used the Stone Mill until the 1890s. Most of it was torn down, leaving only the Rag Room.
The Crane Museum of Papermaking
In 1930, Crane & Co. decided to turn the Rag Room into their company museum. It has been the Crane Museum of Papermaking ever since. An architect named Charles S. Keefe helped with the plans. The company made the building's foundation stronger with steel and concrete. They also filled in some of its windows with stone.
The inside of the building was changed a lot. New wooden supports and floors were added. After the work was done, the inside looked like the Old Ship Church in Hingham, Massachusetts. In 1967, a company called Olmsted Brothers designed the landscaping around the museum.
The Rag Room was named a National Historic Landmark in 1983. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2005, it became part of the Cranesville Historic District. This district includes other old buildings, like Zenas Crane's home from 1816.
The Rag Room is a single-story building made of gray stone. It has three window sections across and seven sections long. It has special stepped gable ends and a slate roof. It used to be connected to the larger Stone Mill buildings. When it was first built, rags arrived here and were prepared for making paper.
In 1930, a new main entrance was added to the north side. It has special doors and Doric columns. Above the door, a sign says "Crane Museum." A round window was also added above the doorway. The slate roof and its support beams were replaced in 1930. These changes did not alter how the outside of the building looked.
The inside of the museum is one big room. It shows off many old items from the company's history. You can see tools that Zenas Crane used. There's also a copy of the old equipment used to make paper by hand.
The museum is currently closed.
Winthrop Murray Crane's Legacy
The Rag Room was where Winthrop Murray Crane (1853–1920) started his career. He was Zenas Marshall Crane's son. In 1878, he helped Crane & Co. get a very important deal. They became the only company allowed to make the special paper used for all United States money.
Besides running Crane & Co., Murray Crane also became a very important person in politics. He served as Governor of Massachusetts. He also became a United States Senator. He played a big role in the Republican Party during his time.
See also
