Rising Paper Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rising Paper Mill
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Rising Paper Mill
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 295 Park St. S, Great Barrington, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 30 acres (12 ha) |
| Built | 1873 |
| Architect | H.D. Cone |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000253 |
| Added to NRHP | August 11, 1975 |
The Rising Paper Mill is a very old factory located at 295 Park Street North in the village of Housatonic, which is part of Great Barrington, Massachusetts. It was built in 1873 for a person named H.D. Cone. This mill is one of the best examples of old factory buildings in Berkshire County. Because of its history and unique style, the mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. This means it's an important place to protect. In 2008, a company called Hazen Paper bought the factory. They planned to make special layered paper there for packaging.
Contents
What the Mill Looks Like
The Rising Paper Mill is located south of Housatonic village. It sits on the east side of the Housatonic River. You can find it near where Massachusetts Route 183 (Park Street) meets Mountain Road. The entire factory area covers about 30 acres (12 hectares). It has a lot of space along both the river and the road.
Buildings and Design
The factory has a dam near its northern end. The main part of the mill includes two long, three-story buildings made of brick. These two buildings are connected in the middle by a narrower section. The building on the north side is 212 feet (65 meters) long. The south building is 145 feet (44 meters) long. Both buildings have special sloped roofs made of slate, called mansard roofs. They also have fancy towers at their corners, which are also mansard-shaped. The corners of the buildings are decorated with rough-cut granite blocks. There are also decorative bands of Greek cross shapes under the roof edges.
History of the Rising Paper Mill
The mill was built around 1873 by H.D. Cone. His goal was to create the biggest paper factory in the world. The buildings were made with incredibly strong foundations. This was necessary to support the very heavy machines used to make paper. The granite stones for these strong foundations came from Monument Mountain nearby.
How Paper Was Made Here
The factory was designed in a clever way. The most important machines, called Foudrinier machines, were placed in the connecting part between the two main buildings. One of the main buildings was used to prepare all the materials needed for paper. The other building was where the finished paper was processed and made ready.
Challenges and New Owners
H.D. Cone was not able to finish the mill completely. He faced financial problems and went bankrupt soon after building it. The factory then sat empty for many years, until the early 1900s. At that time, the B.D. Rising Company bought it. They started using the mill to make paper. The Rising Mill became the biggest employer in the area. This happened after another large factory, Monument Mills, closed down in the 1930s.
See also
