Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory
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Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory, in January 2013 prior to redevelopment
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 6-1 N. Cherry St., Poughkeepsie, New York |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1874 |
| MPS | Poughkeepsie MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001160 |
| Added to NRHP | November 26, 1982 |
The Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory is a historic building located in Poughkeepsie, New York. It was built in 1874 and is a tall, brick building with three and a half stories. It was made even bigger around 1887. This building is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Contents
A Look Back: The Factory's Story
The building that became the Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory started its life in 1874. Back then, it was a place where leather was made by William S. Patten. Soon after, it became the Dutchess Manufacturing Company, which made the building much larger.
By 1895, the building was used by William Paulding to make barrels. Then, in 1899, a new company called Queen Undermuslin Company was started. In 1904, this company moved into the building. This is how the building got its famous name, the Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory!
The factory was updated to fit the needs of Queen Undermuslins. It was special because it ran entirely on electricity, which was quite modern for its time.
What They Made and How Good It Was
The clothes made at the factory were very high quality. They were shipped all around the world! People knew that Queen Undermuslins made excellent products. This was even proven at the Galveston Cotton Carnival and Exposition, where Queen Undermuslins won a top award.
The company made about 60,000 clothing items every year. They made clothes only for women and children. You could find their products in almost any important dry goods or furnishing store.
A Great Place to Work
The owners of the factory, Robert Stuart and JC MacLean, were very forward-thinking bosses. They were known as successful inventors and business people.
What's really cool is that the employees, all of whom were women, even helped solve business problems. The factory grounds were also beautiful. They had a perfectly trimmed hedge, a big flower bed, and even a tennis court for the employees to play on!
We don't know much about the building's history from the mid-1900s onward. Later pictures show it was used by a company called Central Press. By the 1980s, the building was empty.
New Life: The Factory Today
The Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory has been given a new purpose! It's a big project by Hudson River Housing, a group that helps improve the Middle Main Street area. This group renovated the three-story building, which is about 22,000 square feet. Now, two-thirds of the building are apartments, and one-third is a community space for businesses and people.
What's Inside Now?
- First Floor/Lower Level
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- Poughkeepsie Open Kitchen (POK): This is a shared kitchen where people can cook and prepare food for their businesses. It also has affordable storage for food.
- North River Roasters Coffee House & Community Hub: This is a coffee shop where you can enjoy coffee and treats. When the coffee shop is closed, the space can be rented by community members for events.
- Earth, Wind & Fuego: This place serves healthy and affordable lunches. Their food uses local ingredients and offers options that are free of gluten, soy, dairy, and sugar.
- Second Floor
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- PUF (Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory) Studios: These are flexible art studios for artists and craftspeople to rent each month. They also offer printmaking classes for everyone.
- Third Floor
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- The Art Affect: Two leading art groups, Sparks Media Project and Mill Street Loft, have joined together. They now use space in the factory to offer art programs for young people.
- Fifteen Loft Apartments: There are different sizes of apartments here, from studios to one-bedroom units. They are for individuals and families to live and work. All the apartments are designed to be easy to access for everyone, including people with disabilities.
