Lowney Chocolate Factory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Lowney Chocolate Factory
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 150 Oakland St., Mansfield, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Area | 14 acres (5.7 ha) |
| Built | 1903 |
| Architect | Dean & Main |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 16000156 |
| Added to NRHP | April 12, 2016 |
The Lowney Chocolate Factory is a historic group of buildings in Mansfield, Massachusetts. It started being built in 1903. For many years, until 2010, different companies used it to make and process chocolate products. The last company to own it was Archer Daniels Midland. In 2016, the factory was empty. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. This means it's an important place because it was a big employer in the area. It's also a good example of factory buildings from the Late Victorian time.
What is the Lowney Chocolate Factory?
The old Lowney Chocolate Company plant is located in Mansfield Center. It sits between Oakland Street and the railroad tracks. The factory has seven buildings. They were built between 1903 and 1995. The whole area covers about 14 acres.
The main building is called Building 1. It is a five-story brick building. It has a tall, seven-story tower in the middle. The windows are set in arched openings. They have brick columns between them and granite sills. Some window openings are now filled in. The tower has round-arch windows at the top. It also has fancy brick designs below its roof.
Who started the Lowney Chocolate Factory?
The Walter M. Lowney Company was a business that made chocolate and candy. Walter M. Lowney started it in Boston in the early 1880s. He was from Bangor, Maine. Lowney's business was very successful. It grew quickly over the next 15 years. They kept expanding their space in Boston.
They chose the Mansfield location for a big expansion because it had easy access to the railroad. This was important for moving ingredients and products. The Lowney Chocolate Company was created as a separate company. Its job was to manage all the chocolate production. This included chocolate for the Walter M. Lowney Company and for other businesses.
Walter Lowney himself moved to Mansfield. He was an important person in the town until he passed away in 1921. After him, the company had different owners. They continued to use and improve the factory. The factory was finally closed in 2010 by Archer Daniels Midland.
