Hamilton Woolen Company Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hamilton Woolen Company Historic District
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by McKinstry Brook, Quinebaug River, and Mill St., Southbridge, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1836 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Classical Industrial |
| MPS | Southbridge MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000594 |
| Added to NRHP | June 22, 1989 |
The Hamilton Woolen Company Historic District is a special area in Southbridge, Massachusetts. It includes the well-preserved "Big Mill" complex, which was built in the mid-1800s. This historic place is found where McKinstry Brook meets the Quinebaug River.
The district has several old mill buildings. It also has a unique group of brick homes built in the 1830s for the mill workers. This entire area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Contents
A Long History of Mills
The land where the Hamilton Company's mill stands has been used for mills since 1750. That's when William Plimpton got permission to use the water power there.
Early Cotton Mills
In 1812, two brothers, James and Perez Wolcott, started a cotton mill on this site. By 1814, they had built what was then the largest cotton mill in the world! The Wolcotts kept growing their business.
However, a dam they built broke, which badly damaged their company. After this, investors from Boston bought what was left of the business.
The Hamilton Woolen Company Begins
In 1831, these investors formed the Hamilton Woolen Company. They rebuilt the dam, making it even stronger and taller. In 1836, they started a big project to expand the mill area.
The Big Mill and Worker Homes
Many new buildings were put up in 1836. The most important one was the "Big Mill." This was a five-story brick building that became the main part of the complex.
Unique Architecture
The Big Mill was changed a lot in 1850. Its most interesting feature is a stairwell at one end. This stairwell has a tower on top with a Romanesque belfry, which is a bell tower.
Right next to the mill, a place called Brick Square was created. This was a group of brick houses built around a central open area. Today, this area is near Mill Street, Canal Street, and Brick Row. Five of these original worker houses are still standing. They were built in the Greek Revival style, which was popular back then. One of these homes was later used as offices for the company.
Hamilton's Impact and End
In the second half of the 1800s, Hamilton was the biggest employer in Southbridge. The company mainly made woolen products. This was especially true after the American Civil War, which cut off cotton supplies.
A Major Employer
Hamilton remained a very important company in town. Even though the American Optical Company grew to be larger, Hamilton was still a big presence.
The End of an Era
The company added more buildings in the late 1800s, but many of those are gone now. In 1929, they added several new buildings, including a dye building. This building has a large arched window, but it's not easily seen from the main complex.
The Hamilton Woolen Company closed its doors forever after a strike in 1934.
