Nomination for Damon Mill

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PH0686026 FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVED OCT 12 1978 MAY DATE ENTERED 25 979 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC The Damon Mill (preferred) AND/OR COMMON The Cold Storage 2 LOCATION 3 STREET & NUMBER 9 Pond. Lane, CITY. TOWN., Concord STATE Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION _NOT FOR PUBLICATION/ CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 5th.

-VICINITY OF CODE 025 COUNTY Middlesex CODE 017 CATEGORY XDISTRICT .BUILDING(S) STRUCTURE SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC XPRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION LIN PROCESS* LBEING CONSIDÉRED-- STATUS *OCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED XWORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED -YES: UNRESTRICTED PRESENT USE -AGRICULTURE -_MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL PARK EDUCATIONAL -PRIVATE RESIDENCE -ENTERTAINMENT RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT SCIENTIFIC ZINDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION LMILITARÝ _OTHER:- 4 OWNER OF PROPERTY MNl1 Square Partnership, William Sullivan (Gen. Ptnr.), Richard Damon (Itd. Ptnr.) STREET & NUMBER 9 Pond Lane tSSGLSaEN CITY. TOWN Concord STATE Massachusetts - VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC. South Middlesex Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER 40 Thorndike Street CITY.

TOWN Cambridge REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS STATE Massachusetts TITLE DATE 1977 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth #128 -FEDERAL XSTATE COUNTYLOCAL Massachusetts Historical Commission CITY. TOWN Boston STATE Massachusetts DESCRIPTION CONDITION _EXCELLENT _GOOD XFAIR -DETERIORATED LRUINS CHECK ONE -UNALTERED X ALTERED CHECK ONE X ORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE. _UNEXPOSED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Damon Mill is bounded on the north and west by the Assabet River and on the south by Main Street (Route 62). Pond Lane which was part of the original road from Concord to Lancaster separates one free standing building from the rest of the mill complex on the east. The property includes the adjacent river bed and diversionary dam as well as the spillway that formerly diverted water through the power canal running parallel to Pond Lane and under the main structure. The mill itself consists of two structures. The main complex is formed of eight attached sections ranging in height from one to six stories. Another three story building stands to the east of Pond Lane. All construction is of exterior brick bearing walls with interior timber framing. The foundations are granite with a granite water table.

Fenestration which originally consisted mainly of double hung 12/12 sash is severely deteriorated and in many cases openings are boarded or bricked in. Roofing material is currently asphalt shingle. Building #3 forms the core of the main complex. It was originally four stories in height and consisted of a main block with a gabled roof and monitor and a two bay cross-axial pavillion at its western end. A second cross-axial pavillion with a gable masking the monitor stood on high ground at the eastern end. The roof was later raised and two stories added to the main block and western end, and one story added to the eastern end. The building is Italianate in style with design elements consisting of stitled segmental arched window openings, quoined corners and a projecting bracketted roofline. Building #2 which stands to the north is five stories in height and identical in design to #3.

Building #1 continues with similar design elements and although it is only four stories it is almost as tall as numbers 2 and 3. A round 80' chimney which replaced the original rectangular one rises between buildings #1 and E. Building E is a one story addition with a corbelled cornice and large round arched window and door openings. Building #4 is a small two story structure with a low-pitched gable roof attached to the south- eastern corner of #3. Its corners are quoined and window openings are segmentally arched with the exception of a triple round arched window in the south elevation. Building #5, attached to the western elevation of #3, is also two stories in height and was lit by wide segmentally arched window openings now boarded in. Buildings #6 and #7 are both 3 stories in height and are attached to the northern elevation of #3 behind #2.

Like the other major structures they have quoined corners and segmentally arched openings. Building #C which stands alone on the east side of Pond Lane is three stories in height and a 40' by 80' rectangle in plan.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 -1500-1599 1600-1699 -1700-1799 1800-1899 -1900- ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE XARCHITECTURE _ART X_COMMERCE _COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW -COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE -CONSERVATION -LAW -ECONOMICS -LITERATURE _EDUCATION _MILITARY -ENGINEERING -MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY XINDUSTRY -POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION RELIGION SCIENCE SCULPTURE .SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER -TRANSPORTATION -OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1862 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT Elbridge Boyden The Damon Mill in Concord was owned and operated by Edward Damon, a man prominent in social and civic as well as industrial affairs. It stands on a site which has been associated with Concord's industrial development since the seventeenth century. A bog iron works operated in the area c. 1660, succeeded by grist and saw mills in the eighteenth century. John Brown purchased the site in 1808 to build a cotton mill. This was a turning point from a mill site serving the surrounding agricultural needs to a mill site serving the local citizenry. It was the real beginning of the site's development as a center of local industry and of the local economy. By the mid-nineteenth century Edward Damon owned the site and had constructed a wood frame mill to produce wool.

When this complex burned in 1862 Damon engaged Elbridge Boyden, a Worcester architect of national repute, to design a new brick mill. One of Boyden's better known Massachusetts buildings is the Mechanics Hall (National Register) in Worcester. Boyden's design was for a handsome Italianate structure enriched by quoined corners, stilted segmental arched windows and bracketted cornice lines. Although the mill has been expanded, it retains many of its important original features. The mill has recently been purchased by the Mill Square Partnership whose principals include a great grandson of Edward Damon. Atter being used as a warenouse and then _ying vacant for six years, the mill will be rehabilitated for multi-commercial, office and light industrial use.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Hammond, Charles. Factory Village 1650-1862. Thesis, Boston University Damon, Edward. Daily Diary- Damon, Edward. Social Circle Memoirs. Rice, Franklin. The Worcester of 1898. 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA $4.5 acres ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY - UTM REFERENCES AL121L310,418,5,9 14,710,217,0,9 ZONE EASTING NORTHING .ZONE DLLLLLILLLL VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION Bounded on the south by Main Street (Rte 62), on the west by the westerly bank of the Assabet River, on the north by the southeasterly bank of the bend of the Assabet River and on the east by the mid-slope of the easterly hillside and by the Lot Conant house property. Also refer to the attached site plan on which the boundaries are deliniated in red.

LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE 11 FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE Candace Jenkins, National Register Coordinator ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 294 Washington Streetore t. CITY OR TOWN Boston John A.

Benhamin, Member Concord Historical Commission DATE September10, 1978 TELEPHONE mer::(617) 727-8470 STATE Massachusetts 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS NATIONAL _ STATE_ LOCA As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), 1 hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service. STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE Valuyi Weslruki Executive Director, Mass.

Historical Commission DATE 9/28/78 TITLE FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER GERCEO MEOI AND HISTORK SEAVATION DIRECTO ATTEST: TEPEA ARATE DATES 75/19 REGISTER GPO 892.453 Form No. 10-300a (Kev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIMAY 8 1979 DATE ENTERED MAY 25 1979 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 1 Between 1809 and 1833 an early cotton mill was built and developed by John Brown on the site of a seventeenth century iron works and eighteenth century grist and fulling mills. cans, ten frames (48 spindles), one mule, one hundred eighty spindles, one twisting Jenny fifty-two spindles. This produced cotton yarn (replacing flax) to be woven on local hand looms.

Employment in 1820 was six men, two women and twenty children. By 1824 machinery included four looms, one for satinett which meant that the weaving process had moved into the mill. Other machinery included one knaping machine, one teazeling machine and one shearing machine. By 1830 machinery grew to twenty looms and forty people employed. In 1834 Calvin Damon purchased the cotton mill and made improvements such as raising the dam height for more water power, lining the eroding tail race with granite blocks and installing a more efficient water wheel. Damon's wife's uncle, James Johnson of Johnson, Sewall & Co., had backed Damon's purchase of the mill and insisted that he produce the highly competitive satinet. The relatively small mill could not compete in price however, and Damon began to experiment with other cloths.

According to several sources, Calvin Damon invented "domet" cloth by using the satinet machinery with a cotton warp and wool filling. The new cloth brought property and expansion to Damon and Westvale as it was both light and warm and did not shrink as did 100% wool fabrics. It became the universal substitute for linsey-woolsey, originally of home manufacture, for undergarments. Domet flannel soon became an American staple. According to Bagnall's Contributions to American Economic History Calvin Damon first used the term "domet" in his journal of January 15, 1836. By 1837 the mill had four sets of machinery with 640 spindles and consumed 30,000 pounds of cotton per year. manufacture of domets until the mill burned in 1862. At that time Elbridge Boyden was engaged to design the main portion of the present mill (Sections 3 and 2).

Edward continued with domets until 1864 when in partnership with a cousin, Henry Smith, Damon & Smith largely expanded production and diversified to all wool and shaker flannels with eight sets cards and 1,260 cotton year spindles. To meet the needs of expanded production they constructed a new building (section c) for the warehousing and sorting of wool in 1864 and the following year they added a front wing (section #4) to house a counting room and office. Smith's memoirs report the expansion clearly: The goods manufactured, which had hitherto been of only one grade, in two widths, thirty inches and 4/4, and stamped Damon's Original Domett. Johnson, Sewall & Co. Form No. 10-300a (Kev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED DATE ENTERED MAY 8 1979 MAY 25 1979 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 2 were now greatly diversified. Various numbers of cotton yarn from No. 10 to No. 36 were made for the warps, and several different qualities of wool for filling were used, with a great variety of mixtures of cotton and wool Ior both warps and tilling for Shaker Flannels. Some tine all-wool flannels were also made. The goods were very popular with the trade and could be found in every part of the country. They were frequently copied by other manufacturers by making the same style of head ends, and competition was very keen.

In order that the Wetherbee coming to the village two or three times a week, a building was erected for a store and stocked with the best quality of goods, which were sold at a profit barely sufficient to cover the running expenses. this was rendered necessary on account of the larger number of persons employed. In 1876 as the mill continued to expand and diversify, the firm of Damon and Smith was replaced by that of Damon and Almy. Then in 1880, Edward Damon and his son Ralph purchased the controling interest and reorganized as the Damon Manufacturing Co. At that time a rear addition (section #1) was constructed with a new chimney primarily to house two large coal boilers. The mill was powered by water wheels of 125 h.p. and a steam engine of 175 h.p. The property consisted of 20 acres and included 40 tenements. At full capacity it employed 175 people.

During the 1880's the company was producing all wool dress goods, shaker and domett flannels, cotton and wool yarns. Machinery consisted of 124 looms, 11 sets of cards, 3000 spindles, 20 cotton cards and 1,432 cotton spindles, 2 boilers and 2 water wheels. In the 1890's the company began to flounder due to general economic depression and its relatively small size. In December of 1898, Damon wrote to the Middlesex Institution for Savings pleading with them not to foreclose on his mortgage but was apparently unsuccess ful as the mill closed shortly thereafter. In 1906 the American Worsted Co. incorporated the Strathmore Worsted Mills to take over the Damon Mill which had been idle since 1898. They produced fancy worsteds and serges with 100 broad and 3 narrow looms. The mill was powered by 2 boilers and one water-wheel. Shortly thereafter, c.

1910, a single story rear addition (section E) was constructed to house a steam turbine. Strathmore ran the plant until 1922; employment figures which sank from 350 people in 1909 to 180 people in 1922 indicate that the company slowly went out of business. The mill was vacant for a period, then operated as an apple cold storage plant between 1930 and 1973. It was again vacant until 1977 when it was purchased by the Mill Square Partnership for reuse. route 62 main street _L :site plan RECEIV ED OCT 12 1978 NATIONAL REGISTER assabet river Pgis 3 182 Pond 6 2 Isne canal assabet river 1A ED property bounds Lzzun bapiWillam Ht. Sollwan le -1971 4 20'-6" 52'-9" 3 * * * * * * stair first floor 7..

E 84-6* 24'-0" 34'-2" 48'-6" 19'-0* stair second floor 35'-10" * 39'-8" * 32-* stair third floor * 48'-6" 33 * -10'-4' * stair # * * fourth floor # * 56'-6" 35-0* 18'4" 108'-6" 52'-9" * * * fifth floor Property Damon sill State Mass. Working Number 10.12.78.4350 TECHNICAL Photos - CONTROL Maps 0K10.12.78 Ho discusaon of racuscon focuce industrial sygnificance of the HISTORIAN mnotal on th Riturn natsnaly Lightne known architect. 12-14-78 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER INADEQULTE DISCUSSION OF ARCELTOCTURM SIGNIHCANLETO HIST ONKY KOR ARCHIPBCTWRTC. THERKFORE,INHEHT OF LUK OF DISCUSSION DF WOUSTRIAL SIGNIFICANCE WAWLD AGREK THAT RETURN 1S NECELARY. HAER Inventory ith Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF RETURU.

12/14/18 BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry Send-back 12,15.78 Re-submit 5.8.79 Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 INT:210 NAME OF PROPERTY Damon mice STATE Hassachwcette The attached National Register Inventory-Nomination form is being returned to your office for clarification of the information indicated below. PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM WHEN THE NOMINATION IS RESUBMITTED. Description: 8 9 10 Statement of Significance: Pleace justify the industrial signficance f thia particular mill in a lecol or segioial conteut. a discussion of the siginficance of the site is not sufficint.

SIGNIEICANCE OF BUILANNES IN TERNE OF ARCHITICRURE AuA INDUSTRA IS NECESSARY Bibliography: Geographical Data -- Acreage: UTM Reference(s): Verbal Boundary Description: 12 Certification: Photographic Coverage: Map Coverage: Other: Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Bruce Mackauful on the National Register staff, telephone- 202-343-6401 Thank you for your attention to the above items. ill blove Chief, Branch of Registration Date: 12/15/78 United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service . .Property Damon mll statemass. Sniddlese Morking Mumber . 12. 28.4250 Z nl Contral CONTROL Photos Maps oK 5.11.29 HISTORIAN ExCUENI DOCHWENTATON IRDUIDEP IN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN CONTINUSTiON SHEET. THE, muu 15 ASSECIATED WITH INVENTON AND ACL EDT PRODUTION OF ANEWD THRE DF CLOTH-- DONET FADIDEL.

THE EXLTINE MICL AND ITS LATEIL ADPITTONS WERK BUILT TO CONTINHE PRUDULTION AAC 5/25/19 DF TELTILES ON THE SITE OF THE FARLIEN BURNED MML. IT5 ARCHEOLOGIST ARCHITELTZRALLY SIGNIFILANT BECHUSE OF ITS DRIGINAL AROHITEÚT AND ITS MACIANATAE STYLE FEATURES-- WNILH ARE CHARAUTELSTIL DF THE PERIOD.

OTHER HAER Inventory- Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF dcczr Alt DouL+ 5/25/79 BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER MAY 2519 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 7-3-19 Send-back Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Damon Mill OCT 12 1978 Concord, MA william Sullivan 1978 Damon Mill, Concord Middlesex County South elevation of building #3 West elevation of building #4 MAY 2 5 1979 2 OCT 1 2 1978 Damon Mill Concora, MA William Sullivan 1978 Mndlesen corncy Concorc East elevations of buildings #2,3,4 MAY 2 5 1979 WLLLLCC OCT 1 2 1978 Concord, MA William Sulivan Damon Mill, Concord middlesex County 1978 MAY 2 5 1979 North elevation of buildings #1,6,7,F showing smoke stack Damon Mill Concord, MA William Sullivan Damon Mill, Concord, Midolesex County #4 Building C 19 OCT Damon Mill Concord, MA William Sullivan 1 Damon Mill, Concord Middlesex county #5 East elevation, buildi OCT Damon Mill Concord, MA William Sullivan Damon Mill, Concord misdlede counly #6 West elevation of buili PAUL GUZZI Secmebary of the Commonucalth The Commonwealch of Massachusetts Cffice of the Secretary Massachusetts Historical Commission 291 Mashinglon Stree Boston, Massachusells 02108 (617)727-8470 October 4, 1978 RECEIVED OCT 12 1978 NATIONAL!

REGISTER -8 Mr. Charles Herrington, Chief Registration Branch National Register OAHP, Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Washington, D.C. Dear Mr. Herrington, Enclosed please find the following nomination forms: Concord: The Damon Mill Duxbury: The John Alden House Methuen: Serlo Organ Hall Andover: Shawsheen Village Historic District All have been voted eligible by the State Review Board and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer.

Sincerely, chistine Boulding Christine Boulding Survey Director MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 617-727-8470 MICHAEL JOSEPH CONNOLLY Secretary of State 5.8 April 30, 1979 Peset RECEIVED MAY 8 1979 NATIONAL REGISTER Bruce McDougall National Register of Historic Places Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Office of Archeology and Historic Places Department of the Interior 440 G Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20243 Dear Bruce: Enclosed is the nomination for the Damon Mill in Concord which we are resubmitting with additional material on its industrial history. We would appreciate a decision on this as soon as possible because, as you know, the developer is very anxious to take advantage of the tax act provisions. Give me a call if you have any questions.

Sincerely, Cande Candace Jenkins National Register Coordinator Massachusetts Historical Commission CJ/ts enclosure ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered MAY 25 1979 Name Location Damon M111 Concord Middlesex County Also Notified Honorable Paul G. Isongas Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable James M. Shannon NR State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia I. Weslowski Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Conmission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Byers/bjr 5/29/79 For further information, please call the National Register at (202)343-6401. NATIONAL REGISTER DATA ONAME as it appears on federal registeDATA SHEET 2OTHER NAMES: Damon Mill - Cold Storage 6 LOCATION street & number city | town vicinity of state| count: 9 Pond Lane Concord MA Middlesex OWNER XPRIVATE OSTATE MUNICIPAL OCOUNTY OOMULTiPLE -FEDERAL (agency name).

JADMINI 9) EXISTING SURVEYS ( CHABS I -HAER ( (10) FUNDED? OYES ONO 11)CONGRESS. DISTRICT (12)SOURCE of NOMINATION -STATE 5 TONAL REGISTER DRIE LANDN JACREAGE BYE 1 CONDITION - deteriorated Oaltered Doriginal site 1features: -COSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 «OSUBSTANTIALL' Dexcellent Oruins Ogood Dunaltered Omoved OONOT INTACT-O 90 NOT INTACT- Dunexposed Dreconstructed Ounknown OUNKNOWN-4 WOUNKNOWN-5 Dfair Ounexcavated Dexcavated -ONOT APPLICARIF -7 WO NOT APPLICAE ACCESS OYES-Restricted DYES -Unrestricted - No Access - Unknown 19 ADAPTIVE USE DYES ONO SAVED?

OYES IS PROPEI AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE : DENGINEERING -11 - LANDSCAPE ARCH.- 15 - POLITICS / GOVT.^ 21 -RECREATION -28 ECLA 'first DARCHEOLOGY - prehistoric-2 -COMMERCE-6 CENTERTAINMENT-26 - LAW- 16 - RELIGION- 22 C SETTLEMENT-29 - ARCHEOLOGY- historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS-7 CEXPLORATION -12 - LITERATURE - 17 - SCIENCE- 23 DURBAN PLANNING-31 'oldes - AGRICULTURE -3 - CONSERVATION- 8 - HEALTH -27 C MILITARY - 18 - SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN-24 -OTHER (SPECIFY) - ARCHITECTURE-4 - ECONOMICS- 9 C INDUSTRY - 13 - MUSIC - 19 - SOCIAL / CULTURAL- 30 'only - ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 CINVENTION -14 - PHILOSOPHY - 20 C TRANSPORTATION -25 3 functions WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: CURRENTLY: B architectural style(s) 2dates of initial construction: major alterations : historic events: architect: master builder: )landseape architect / garden designer: interior decorator: ©artist: Bartisan: bi SNAMES give role & date PERSONAL: EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: 3BNATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UP reviewers initials.

date SI IF ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSE!