LINK to go to my Patreon pay per view video.
William Skinner started the Unquomonk Mill in Williamsburg. He came to Holyoke in 1874 after the Mill River flood of that year.
1884
1889
1895
1905
1956
1949
mill 3 – 1915
How Silk is Made (external Youtube link – not my video)
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1949 map – map B – map C
Sanborn 1956 map – map B – map C
also called the Robertson and Black Mill
The Holyoke Manila Mill is from 1875. The Robertson brothers were the owners. It was at the juncture between the second and third canal. Their main product was manila folders.
Sanborn 1884 map – NOT
Sanborn 1889 map – does not extend to that area
Sanborn 1895 map – NOT there
Henry Seymour (FINDAGRAVE) started Seymour Cutlery in 1878. Their main product was scissors. Notice that their salesroom is in New York City. The company had his brother Robert (FINDAGRAVE) as helper. (At that location in the early 1870s was Warner File.)
Japanned and japanning means that the handle is with black lacquer.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1915 map it is gone and Farr Alpaca is in the area
David Butterfield started the Valley Paper Mill in 1866. They made fine paper.
Sanborn map analysis
see Link for the Sanborn maps and the story
The Merrick started the Merrick Lumber Mill near the first train station. It started in 1881 and grew rapidly. They owned their own forest in Maine. The family members that ran it were:
A Judson Merrick (home at 314 Maple) death 19 October 1923 in Holyoke
John Merrick (home at 148 South) death at 10 June 1920
Joseph S Merrick (home at 225 Walnut) death at 9 January 1908
The Holyoke Machine Company was a maker of turbines. They had their origin in 1863.
The New York Woolen Mill was located at the junction of the second and third canals. Clearly, they made wool products. They were owned at first by A T Stewart. Read about the Connor Brothers HERE. One of the Connor Brothers was James and he went bankrupt in 1901.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1889 map listed as Connor Brothers’ New York Woolen Mill
Sanborn 1895 map – gone after 1901
They are here replaced by the Holyoke Plush Co. LINK
As Hampton Paper it was completed in March 1872 on the first canal. Jared Beebe made the Beebe Mill in 1873. He made various types of fine paper there. The mill uses 4.5 mill powers.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1949 map and belongs to the Holyoke Water Power Co
Sanborn 1956 map and belongs to the Holyoke Water Power Co
149 Elm
George Prentiss built the first Prentiss Wire Mill in 1857 on the First Level Canal. Mill number 1 closed in 1961 (and was razed in 1963) but the second mill is still there. He lived at 196 Northampton Street and his son lived at 207 Elm Street.
Its main product was steel and iron wire.
They would run the Holyoke Covered Wire Company out of their mill 2. This would be called also the Holyoke Company.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1889 map shows both mills
David Butterfield started the Holyoke Paper Mill in 1857 near the junction of the first and second level canals. Its race is still visible from the Main Street side.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1949 map the lot is nearly empty
Sanborn 1956 map shows a small generating station
