Nomination for Westfield Whip Manufacturing Company

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Aluade NPS Form 10-900 (3-82) OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms Type all entries - complete applicable sections 1. Name For NPS use only received SEP 2 0 1985 date entered historic Westfield Whip Manufacturing Company and/or common 2. Location same street & number 360 Elm Street N/A. not for publication city, town Westfield N/A vicinity of state Massachusetts 3. Classification Category Ownership district public X building(s) private structure both .

site Public Acquisition _ object in process N/Abeing considered code 025 county Hampden code 013 Status X occupied _ unoccupied work in progress Accessible yes: restricted - yes: unrestricted no Present Use agriculture commercial educational entertainment government _ industrial military museum park private residence . religious scientific transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name Alleta-Mae Martin street & number 55 Bates Road city, town Westfield N/ Avicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Hampden County Registry of Deeds street & number 50 State Street city, town Springfield state Massachusetts 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets title of the Commonwealth of Mass. has this property been determined eligible?

- yes - no date 1984 Inventory #595 -federal - X - state - - county - local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission, 80 Boylston Street city, town Boston state Massachusetts 7. Description Westfield Whip Manufacturing Co., Westfield, Massachusetts Condition excellent X good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one X unaltered _ altered Check one Xoriginal site _moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Westfield Whip Company, 360 Elm Street, Westfield, is located on the south side of the Westfield River, a tributary of the Connecticut River, in western Massachusetts. The building dates from 1887-1892; it is of red brick construction, with limestone trim, and rests on a brick foundation. The factory building faces east onto Elm Street and a small city park and is set back approximately 20 feet from the street. The immediate neighborhood surrounding the whip company building is densely built up with industrial and commercial structures. Io the north and south, two-story commercial buildings stand about 15 feet from the whip company building, while other commercial/industrial properties, including facilities associated with the western Massachusetts Electric Company, border the lot to the rear. Elm Street, a north/south roadway, crosses the Westfield River about 180 feet to the north.

Io the south, Elm Street joins Main Street about one half mile from the nominated property to form Westfield's commercial and institutional center. An industrial city on the primary western corridor from Springfield to the Berkshires, westfield has been served since the 1840s by the east-west route of the Western Railroad (now Conrail), whose tracks stand due north of the whip company, on the north side of the Westfield River. The tracks of the ca. 1855 westfield and Northampton Railroad, a north-south route now part of the Pioneer Valley Railroad Company, run to the west of the property. The area in which the building is located has been, since the early 19th century, the industrial center of the town, and is dominated by railroad-related structures, industrial buildings, and workers' housing, all of mid- to late-19th century construction.

An area of substantial residential structures around a town common, which first developed in the 18th century, remains as the other major node of settlement and lies to the south of this primarily industrial area. Built on a narrow, deep lot that slopes gently to the rear, the factory building is flanked by a driveway that runs below grade level on its south side. The. drive is supported by a concrete retaining wall. A small lawn fronting the building is planted with evergreen bushes, and ivy covers a portion of the structure's front facade, providing a pleasant setting unusual for most industrial buildings in the city. The whip company structure is dominated by a 3 1/2-story, rectangular plan brick main block, which includes a full basement exposed below grade level at the building's rear and sides. The main block is sited with its gable end to the street.

A 40-foot-tall elevator shaft, original to the building, is located at the mid-point of the main block's southern elevation. Iwo single-story additions, one ranked behind the other, were built as extensions at the rear of the building ca. 1894-1905. One is brick and the other is of clapboard construction; both are topped with low-pitched shed roofs. At the Continued NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form OMB No. 1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 For NPS use only received date entered Continuation sheet Westfield Whip Manufacturing Item number Page 1 Co., Westfield, Mass very rear of the lot stands a detached, single-story cinderblock garage, built in the mid 20th century. It is considered as a modern intrusion and does not contribute to the nomination.

The main block's front (east) facade is four bays wide, with symmetrically arrayed fenestration consisting of broad segmental-arched, square-shouldered window openings with original sash. Window sills are of white limestone. The transom-topped entryway is fronted by a small, single-bay wood porch approached by means of four steps. Chamfered corner posts support stick-style corner brackets, a three-sided square-spindled frieze (obscured on the front portion by a small sign reading "WESTFIELD WHIP MFG. CO. INC."), and a low, hipped roof. The gable peak is embellished with a geometric pattern of bricks on both raking cornice and returns. Iwo segmental-arch windows are set within the gable peak. The north facade is three full stories in height, including the exposed basement. Fourteen bays of 2/2 windows topped with slightly projecting segmental arches are regularly spaced on each floor.

As on the main elevation, window openings rest on limestone sills. The cornice is corbelled brick. The south facade, though similar, presents a more varied appearance due to a number of entrances for shipping and receiving that open onto the building's driveway. Due to the presence of the retaining wall, only 12 bays are exposed on the ground (basement) level, while the two stories above include a full 14 bays.

Proceeding west, the south elevation includes: three asymmetrically placed segmenta1-arch doorways at ground- and first-story level (two on the ground story, one on the first); an enclosed, projected stairway leading from the ground-level driveway to the first floor and fronted on the first floor by a fully enclosed entry porch; and a single-bay elevator shaft, sided with horizontal boarding, which extends from the midpoint of the facade and rises to a cross gable projecting from the main block's roofline. A set of double doors on ground level is located near the southwest end of the elevation. Four skylights pierce the slate-shingled roof. The west facade is four bays wide and three and a half stories in height, and fronts onto the lot's lowest point, at the base of its gentle slope.

2/2 windows are capped by flat segmental arches and the gable peak is framed by a simple brick cornice and returns. A single-flight iron fire escape leads from one bay on the second story down to the shed roof of the three-bay brick addition below. A single arched doorway at ground level provides access from the rear of the property into the main block. Continued NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Westfield Whip Manufacturing Continuation sheet Co., Westfield, Mass. Item number 7 OMB No. 1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 For NPS use only received date entered Page 2 Iwo bays deep and covering three bays of the main block's rear, west facade, the brick single-story addition was added to the rear of the factory ca. 1894-1905.

Its fenestration is similarly detailed to that of the main block, consisting of a small segmental-arched window with limestone sill and a single, segmental-arched doorway. Rolled asphalt covers the shed roof, from which projects an iron stovepipe connected to a tall, brick chimney adjoining the addition's northeast corner. A contemporaneous but smaller single-story addition is located at the rear of the brick addition. It is of wood-frame construction and lacks fenestration. Access is through the larger brick addition. A two-bay detached garage at the rear of the property, built ca. 1950, is made of cinderblocks and has a gable roof covered with asbestos shingles. The building's interior has sustained few changes since it was first constructed, and the factory has been in almost continuous use as a whip manufactory since the late 1880s.

Some walls on the upper floors have been sheathed with plywood, and several wood posts in the basement have been replaced with Lally columns; otherwise, the interior is essentially unchanged. Most noteworthy is the building's retention of original machinery used to manufacture whips. Much of it is still in use and probably remains in situ. A partial list of some of the period machinery still on the premises includes: knife sharpener, spooler, whip. roller, rattan splitter, lathe, whip rounder, ribber, top roller, pounder, pitch pot, tumbling barrel, and thread winders. In addition to the machinery, the building retains its original elevator shaft, complete with car and drive mechanism. The potential for historic archaeological remains is slight, due to the character of the area, but should not be totally excluded.

The industrial archaeological potential through the retention of large amounts of original machinery, however, is very good.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance westfield Whip Manufacturing Co., Westfield, Massachusetts Period prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 X 1800-1899 1900 Areas of SignificanceCheck and justify below - archeology-prehistoric community planning - archeology-historic conservation agriculture economics X architecture education art engineering commerce _ exploration/settlement communications X - industry X invention _ landscape architecture .law literature . military music - philosophy - politics/government _ religion science - sculpture _ social/ humanitarian theater X transportation - other (specify) Specific dates 1887-1892 Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) Builder/Architect Unknown The Westfield Whip Company, located in westtield, Massachusetts,has been, under a variety of owners and appelations, in near continuous use as a whip manufactory it was first constructed in 1887. Westfield, a community known since 1801 as "The Whip City of the World," at one time supported more than 60 such enterprises, of which the present westfield whip Manufacturing Company is the sole survivor still in operation. The factory is significant historically for its continued associations with an industry that constituted some 80 percent of the city's economy through much of the 19th and early 20th centuries and dominated the manufacture of carriage and harness-racing whips worldwide.

Architecturally, the building is significant as an intact example of typical late 19th century industrial construction, and it is among the best preserved of similar, though no longer operating, whip plants in westfield. Of particular note is the factory's original, specialized machinery, much of it intact, in situ, and still in fine working order. The Westfield Whip Company retains integrity of setting, design, location, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and fulfills criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places on the local level. The introduction of the whip business into Westfield is credited to Titus made of white oak and were twisted stock whips, with sheepskin lashes covered traded to farmers, who attached them to whipstocks. But in the early 1820s, plaited stocks were introduced. Hiram Hull's invention, ca.

1822, of the "barrel" plaiting machine mechanized a tedious hand process and made it practical to introduce factory conditions to the industry. By 1832, Hull was the largest whipmaster in town, employing 26 men to make 50,000 whips annually, about half the number then made in Westfield. With continual technical advances, the industry expanded rapidly. By 1837, 410 women and 154 men were employed, although statistics suggest that much of the labor was still per formed by women at home. Not until 1865 did men outnumber women among whipmakers. By that time, the town's two oldest and largest firms had merged to become the American Whip Company, employing half of all the whipmakers in Westfield in 1855, the year of its organization. The nominated property was built ca. 1887 by the A. G. Barnes Whip Company, which shortly thereafter became the Massasoit Whip Company.

The architect responsible for designing the building is unknown; however, it was a building Continued 9.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References (See Continuation Sheet) 10. Geographical Data .31 acres Acreage of nominated property - Quadrangle nameMt. Tom, Mass UT M References Quadrangle scale 1:25,000 A 118 6.816.21010 416/616/21410 Zone Easting Northing LIELLL B Zone Easting Northing ELL G L1 FLULLILLL HLULIL Verbal boundary description and justification See attached assessor's map. The property nominated includes all land associated with the Westfield Whip Manufacturing Company and other Whip Manufacture's who had previously occupied the building. List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state N/A code county code state code county code 11. Form Prepared By Betsy Friedberg, Preservation Planner, Mass. Historical Commission with Lee name/title Hamberg, Preservation Consultant organization Mass.

Historical Commission date July 1985 street & number 80 Boylston Street telephone 617-727-8470 city or town Boston state Massachusetts 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state X local As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89 665), I 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 Valrrie Talmaçe title State Historic Preservation Officer, Executive Directare Massachusetts Historical Commission 9/3/85 For NPS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Xelous Entered date 10-17-55 Attest: Chief of Registration date NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Westfield Whip Manufacturing Continuation sheet Co., Westfield, Mass. Item number OMB No. 1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 For NPS use only recelved date entered 8 Page 1 similar to the numerous other industrial structures of the period, built of brick with corbelled detailing, regular fenestration topped by segmental arches, and large expanses of open interior space. In a deed dated April 4, 1893, the U.S.

Whip Company purchased the nominated parcl. Formed by the merger of the American Whip Company with 14 other Westfield whip manufactories, the U.S. Whip Company was undoubtedly the largest manufacturer of whips in the world. Its output at the turn of the century was estimated at one million whips per year. Another one million were the product of 32 other manu facturers in Westfield, making the town the producer of 95 percent of the American domestic market. The building on Elm Street was only of secondary importance to the U.S. Whip Company--its primary plant was located at 24 Main Street (NR 1984, presently used as housing for the elderly). However, they did expand the Elm Street facility, adding two single-story additions at the rear of the property ca. 1894-1905. Whip productian in Westfield reached its peak on the eve of the First world War.

After that time, the industry lost its major market as the automobile grew in popularity, although whips continued to be produced for special purposes. Only those firms that diversified into related industries survived. floor space to small whip companies. Although the Rogers name is most closely company's ownership ended in 1923. From 1923 to 1928, four different companies occupied the building: the Barry Whip Company and Cargill Cleveland & Company, both whip producers; the Swiss American Watch Company; and the Henry J. Muller Company, producing paper tubes. The latter were used in the whipmaking procss. Barry Dog Collars also used the building briefly, and the dog collars were produced on the whip-braiding machinery. In 1957, the present owner purchased the property.

The present Westfield Whip Manu facturing Company was started by owner Harold Martin and continues to this The firm is the only one still manufacturing whips in westfield, and, of those firms occupying 360 Elm Street, has had the longest association of any with that building. Westfield Whip Company is also one of the few companies in the United States still producing whips and the only one that does not employ any synthetics in its production process. NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Westfield, Mass. Westfield Whip Manufacturing fem number OMB No. 1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 For NPS use only received date entered Page BIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Atlas of Westfield, Massachusetts, no known publisher, 1884. Janes, Edward , C.

and Scott, Roscoe S., editors, Westfield, Massachusetts 1669-1969: The First Three Hundred Years, Westfield, Massachusetts, 1968. Massachusetts Historical Commission, Reconaissance Survey Report: Westfield, 1982. Massachusetts Historical Commission, Historical and Archaeological Resources of the Connecticut Valley, 1984. Morin, Edward M., "Westfield Whip Manufactury & Company; A Proposal for Study," unpublished ms., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, no date (about 1980). Sanborn Insurance Map of Westfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts, New York, Sanborn Insurance Map Compnay, various dates, 1905, 1917, undateable.

85003233 WASO Form - 177 ('R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Westfield Whip Manufacturing Company Hampden County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Lsample Reviewer's comments: Jrequest Working No.. SEP 20 1985 Fed. Reg. Date:. 2/3/82 Date Due: 10-12-55/ 11-+5S Action: LACCEPT 10-12-81 Intered in - RETURN National Regieter _ REJECT- Federal Agency: _ -appeal -NR decision Recom./Criteria. Reviewer Discipline. Date _ see continuation sheet Nomination returned for: _technical corrections cited below _ substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? yes - no 7. Description Condition J excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one - unaltered - altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use Check one J original site moved date 8. Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Builder/Architect summary paragraph completeness clarity 932 applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10.

Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: _national state local State Historic Preservation Officer signature date title 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to _ Signed . Date Phone: Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet IAI2I0WHIID MIFG Westfield Whip Manufacturing Co. 360 Elm Street Westfield, Massachusetts 01085 Lee. David Hamberg, October 1983 Neg. in files of Westfield Hist. Comm. Photo #1 of 3. East fascade. Westfield Whip Manufacturing Co. 360 Elm Street Westfield, Massachusetts 01085 Lee David Hamberg, October 1983 Neg. in files of Westfield Hist. Comm. Photo #2 of 3. West Fascade.

Westfield Whip Manufacturing Co. 360 Elm Street Westfield, Massachusetts 01085 Lee David Hamberg, October 1983 Neg. in files of Westfield Hist. Comm. Photo #3 of 3. Whip rounder, in the basement of the building. rec'd Nor 2'83 690 ICORPORATD Westfield Historical Commission WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 01085 October 31, 1983 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: The Westfield Historical Commission endorses the nomination of the Westfield Whip Manufacturing Co. building on 360 Elm Street to the National Register of Historic Places. This building is the only one in Westfield which is still being used for the manufacture of whips and still retains a great deal of the original Westfield, being the "Whip City" and responsible for the manufacture of over 95% of the world's whips around the period of 1900, truly was "The Whip City of the World".

The preservation of this building is vitally important to the community as an outstanding example of that industry. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the members of the Commission. Very truly yours, Carlelaeke Chairman 48 Westwood Drive Westfield, MA 01085 Cert-mail# P157 781 150 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary of State Michael Joseph Connolly, Secretary Massachusetts Historical Commission Valerie A. Talmage Executive Director State Historic Preservation Officer September 6, 1985 Ms. Carol Shull, Chief National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Department of Interior P.O. Box 37127 Washington, DC 20013-7127 Dear Ms. Shull: Enclosed you will find the following nomination forms: Round Hill, 307 Smith Neck Road, Dartmouth, MA HPCA #0428-83-MA-83-0424, denied 11/30/84, appeal denied 7/8/85.

Westfield Whip Manufacturing Company, 360 Elm Street, Westfield, MA. Al1 have been voted eligible by the State Review Board and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer. Owners were notified of pending State REview Board consideration 30-75 days before the meetingand were afforded the opportunity to comment. Comments received to date are attached to the nomination forms. Sincerely, Sarau J. Zimmerman Sarah J. Zimmerman Director, Preservation Planning Massachusetts Historical Commission SJZ/1s 80 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116 (617) 727-8470 Heed 9/22/85