Haywardville, Massachusetts facts for kids

Haywardville was once a busy factory village in Stoneham, Massachusetts. It started in the early 1800s when Nathaniel Hayward bought some old shoe mills. This village was built along Spot Pond Brook. It became a place where many new inventions were made.

A Place of Invention

In Haywardville, Nathaniel Hayward and Charles Goodyear worked together. They invented "slickers," which were waterproof coats made from canvas and rubber. They also developed a special process called vulcanization. This process makes rubber much stronger and more useful.

The factories in Haywardville made many different rubber products. These included rubber boots, pails, and even spittoons. Haywardville grew into a small industrial community. It had many factory buildings, homes for workers, and places to buy goods.

Why Haywardville Disappeared

Over time, the factories in Haywardville started to struggle. Bigger and more successful businesses grew up nearby. Also, new power sources like steam and electricity became popular. This made the old water-powered mills less important.

The biggest problem for Haywardville was losing its water. Nearby towns like Medford, Malden, and Melrose took away Haywardville's rights to use the water from Spot Pond Brook. Without enough water, the factories could not run.

By 1894, most people had left Haywardville. The land was then bought by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This was part of a plan to create a large park system around Boston. Haywardville became a part of the Middlesex Fells Reservation.

All the buildings from Haywardville were moved to other streets in Stoneham. The land was then restored by Charles Eliot. He was a famous landscape architect. This area helped create the larger Metropolitan Park System, which was the first of its kind in the United States.

Haywardville Today

Today, only small traces of Haywardville remain in the Middlesex Fells. You can visit the site by following trails in Virginia Wood. This area is part of the Spot Pond Archeological District. You can find trail maps at the nearby Botume House.

Images for kids

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  A historical image of Haywardville.