Hatch Homestead and Mill Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hatch Homestead and Mill Historic District
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 385 Union St., Marshfield, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 10 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000698 |
| Added to NRHP | September 11, 2009 |
The Hatch Homestead and Mill Historic District is a special historical area in Marshfield, Massachusetts. It includes two very old properties connected to the Hatch family. You'll find an old house from the 1700s and a water-powered mill from the 1800s here. Both of these places have been used for similar purposes since the 1600s! This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009, which means it's an important part of history.
What is the Hatch District?
The Hatch Homestead and Mill are located in northern Marshfield. They are on the west side of Union Street. Both buildings are set far back from the main road. The mill is found down a gravel path. The house is about a third of a mile west of Union Street. You can reach it by a drive to the south.
To the south of the mill, there used to be a mill pond. This pond was made by building a dam across a stream. The stream flows west towards the North River. The old house is located on the south side of this stream. It sits a bit below where the dam used to be.
Exploring the Old Mill
The mill is a wooden building shaped like a "T". It has a strong timber frame. This frame sits on a foundation made of fieldstone. Inside, you can still see the original water-powered driveshaft. This shaft was used to power an up-and-down saw blade. Imagine a big saw cutting wood!
The mill building has been repaired many times. As of 2016, the town was working on restoring it again. This helps keep the old mill in good shape for future generations.
Discovering the Historic House
The house is a two-and-a-half story building. It is also made of timber. It has a pointed roof and a chimney in the middle. Smaller, one-story sections extend from each side of the main house.
People used to think this house was built around 1647. But experts who studied the building found something different. They discovered that the house was built using methods from the 1700s.
The land was bought in 1647 by Walter Hatch. He built a house on this property. He probably also built the dam and started a mill. However, none of his original buildings are believed to be standing today. The current house was likely built by Walter Hatch's son or grandson. The Hatch family owned both the house and the mill properties until the 1960s.
A famous author named Sarah Messer grew up in this house. She wrote about it in her book, Red House: Being a Mostly Accurate Account of New England's Oldest Continuously Lived-In House.
