1864 - Stevens Mill - Dudley, MA
Posted by: 
NorStar
N 42° 03.029 W 071° 53.399
19T E 260837 N 4659423
The date in the tower of the old Stevens Mill is the most prominent of several such stones that marked building of major additions to the mill.
Waymark Code: WM8QA6
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 05/02/2010
Views: 2
In Dudley, there is an old linen mill factory building near the French River. On Mill Street, one of the towers to the factory complex has the name, "Stevens" engraved on stone, then, below it, "1864" is engraved in another stone. There is actually a stone on the north side of the building, visible from Mill Street, has a date of 1863, one year earlier than the prominent stone.
The mill complex is the Stevens Mill, which was a linen mill that operated from 1864 through the 1990s. Like other mills, this mill has had several additions made.
Mill activity at this location dates back to 1812, when the Merino Wool Factory was established. It sputtered along until activity stopped in 1840. In 1846, the property was bought by Henry Hill Stevens. The building was built from 1861 to 1864, across the street from the original mill, and Stevens imported machinery and hired talent to make likely the first manufactured linen mill in the United States. It continued until January, 2004, which is particularly late for textile mills in New England.
Additions were made several times. The last major addition was a yellow brick wing that has a dated stone of 1913.
Source:
Web Site about the Stevens Mill:
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visit link)
Preliminary Study Report For Proposed Stevens Mill Local Historic District:
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visit link)
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