Acorn Park Historical Station - Cambridge, MA - Massachusetts Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

In Cambridge, behind the Acorn Office Park, is this historical station for Arthur D. Little.

The station is located along Acorn Park Road, on the edge of Alewife Reservation and near a trail. The station is a series of signs arranged side-by-side and another one on a brick base.

As you approach this installation, note the cornerstone in the brick base. The year on it is 1953.


Sign 1:

The main text on the sign above says the following:

"'Research serves to make building-stones out of stumbling blocks' - Arthur D. Little

You are standing in midst of an historic wetland that was drained in 1904 and used for farming until Arthur D. Little, Inc. purchased it in 1950. Below is the cornerstone of Acorn Park's first building, dedicated on November 15, 1953 and demolished in 2010 to allow for the revitalization of the area, including the restoration and preservation of neighboring wetlands."

'Who says it can't be done?' - Arthur D. Little"

Illustrated are two documents about the cornerstone: a dedication program and a list of the contents within the stone.


Sign 2 (Left panel):

Arthur D. Little
Pioneering Industrial Research

In 1885, Roger B. Griffin and Arthur D. Little met while working at the Richmond Paper Company in Rumford Rhode Island. Griffin, and 1876 graduate of the University of Vermont, was a chemical testing expert. Little was a chemist and an entrepreneur who left MIT for financial reasons at the beginning of his senior year in 1885. He persuaded Griffin to become his business partner and somehow raised $2,500 in working capital. On October18, 1886, they opened Griffin & Little, Chemical Engineers on the fifth floor of 103 Milk Street in Boston, "prepared to undertake either in their own laboratory or upon the spot investigations for the improvement of processes and the perfection of products." It was the birth of industrial research.

Although they found some consulting work with paper companies and earned respect as authorities on the chemistry of papermaking, most of their small income during the firm's early years came from tests and analyses of goods moving through the port of Boston. When Griffin was killed in a laboratory accident in 1893, Little was hesitant to continue alone. He did, however, and the business gained momentum over the years. In 1909, the Company became Arthur D. Little, Incorporated, and in 1917, it moved into its own 'research palace' on what is now Memorial Drive in Cambridge near to where MIT had recently relocated from Boston."

There is also a picture of the early laboratory and at the bottom is a timeline of events during those early years.


Sign 3 (center panel):

"Masters of Innovation
Solving Problems, Creating Opportunities

Arthur D. Little and his company were driven by his belief in the value of 'The simplicity to wonder, the ability to question, the power to generalize, and the capacity to apply.' As it found applications for research, the Company grew into a legend. By 1918, it had established and staffed General Motors' first central research laboratory, found ways of making paper from waste materials, brought artificial fibers to the United States, facilitated the development of modern motion picture film, surveyed Canada's natural resources to explore industrial opportunities, and found ways to replace critical war materials in short supply.

It was not unusual for ADL to do what others thought was impossible. Unfazed by the dictum that 'You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear,' it did. In 1921, a hundred pounds of ears were converted to ten pounds of goo that was used to produce threads that were woven into two medieval style purses, one of which Little sent to the Smithsonian Institution. Years later, ADL staff members took on the challenge of creating a lead balloon that could fly. It was last spotted by and airline pilot 4,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean.

After the Second World War, management consulting became increasingly important to the Company. In addition to working for business clients, staff members dealt with extraordinary challenges such as traffic safety, Olympic performances and economic planning for developing nations. ADL food scientists developed the Flavor Profile, the first systematic method of evaluating flavor and odor, used all over the world to create new products and maintain quality standards. Life scientists dealt with cancer and other important health problems. Engineers made significant contributions to the space program and solar energy, developed and produced unique cryogenic devices, and created new types of industrial equipment."

There are images of two people and covers to ADL publications, as well as more of the timeline.


Sign 4 (Right Panel):

"Acorn Park
First Generation Office Park

Arthur D. Little, Inc. bought seven acres of state-owned farmland here in West Cambridge in 1950, and began construction of its prototypical postwar suburban office park in 1952. It was named Acorn Park, based on the Company's motto. Glandes Sparge Ut Quercus Crescant - 'Scatter Acorns That Oaks May Grow,' and it grew up to 40 acres as new buildings were added. With simple exteriors and austere interiors, it projected a utilitarian image for one of the world's most productive industrial research centers. Offices and laboratories were small, with painted cinderblock walls and functional furnishings, even for the most senior executives.

The first structure, 15 Acorn Park, was eventually filled with offices and facilities for research and development work, including a test kitchen and one of the world's largest odor libraries. Executive offices were located in 25 Acorn Park, along with a cafeteria, a reservation dining room and conference facilities. 35 Acorn Park contained the offices, libraries and conference rooms for the Company's management sciences activities. Mechanical Engineering was housed in 20 Acorn Park, along with some administrative functions, a print shop and, for a time, a machine shop devoted to manufacturing cryogenic equipment that the Company developed and sold."

Images and a simple map are included on the sign.

After taking in the scenery and comparing the map with the buildings that are now on site, take a walk in the reservation of lowland woods and wetlands.

The year of placement is approximate and the year the old building was demolished was used as the earliest year possible.

Agency Responsible for Placement: Other (Place below) Agency Responsible for Placement (if not in list above): Arthur D. Little Year Placed: 1/1/2010 County: Middlesex City/Town Name: Cambridge Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]

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