Dani and Soldani Cabinet Makers and Wood Workers Factory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Dani and Soldani Cabinet Makers and Wood Workers Factory
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Dani and Soldani Cabinet Makers and
Wood Workers Factory |
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 484 Worcester St., Southbridge, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1914 |
| Architectural style | Brick industrial |
| MPS | Southbridge MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000529 |
| Added to NRHP | June 22, 1989 |
The Dani and Soldani Cabinet Makers and Wood Workers Factory is an old factory building in Southbridge, Massachusetts. It was built in 1914. This factory is special because it shows what a small factory looked like in the early 1900s. It also connects to the important optical (eyeglass) industry in the area. Plus, it tells a story about Italian immigrants who came to Southbridge. In 1989, this building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important place in American history.
Contents
What Does the Factory Look Like?
The old Dani and Soldani Factory is located north of downtown Southbridge. You can find it at the corner of Worcester Street and Vinton Street. It is a simple building made of brick. It has two stories and a flat roof.
Building Details
The building is shaped like a "T". Its doors and windows have rounded tops, like an arch. The windows also have strong concrete sills at the bottom. Around the top edge of the roof, there is a decorative brick pattern. This pattern is called corbelling.
History of the Factory
The factory building was first built around 1914. It was made for a company called the Optical Lens Company. This company was new and didn't last very long. It probably wanted to be successful like the nearby American Optical Company.
From Lenses to Cabinets
In 1926, two Italian immigrants bought the building. Their names were Eugenio Dani and Giovanni Soldani. They had started a business making cabinets at their home in 1912. Their workshop was the first big business in Southbridge started by Italian immigrants. They made many things, including chairs, tables, cabinets, and even tool handles. Today, the building is still used for light manufacturing.
