Hampden Cotton Mill

The Hampden Cotton Mill is between the first and second canals. Its history is as such:

In 1853, Hampden Mills incorporated and the Hadley Falls Company built them a cotton mill. They ran 10 thousand spindles and employed 300 people. In 1854, Donald Chase MacKintosh (1819 to 1902) came from Scotland as a dyer – a boss dyer. In 1868 Donald MacKintosh was fired by the Hampden Mills. Then he started MacKintosh Company near the Parsons Paper Mill number 1 near the dam. Fire destroyed this small mill. He moved the mill to Northampton for a while and then he moved it back to Bigelow Street in Holyoke. In 1881 the name was changed to MacKintosh and Sons. In 1883 Crystal Spring Aqueduct Company started in the Hampden Mills. Finally, in 1888 the Hampden Mills went bankrupt. Donald MacKintosh bought the Hampden Mills.

For many years, they did cotton blends, then they did cotton only, and then they did cotton yarn (by 1918). In 1943 they had 300 workers but in 1945 a 6-day strike over wages happened. In 1952, MacKintosh Mill is losing money so they move to Clover South Carolina.

Buildings:

family line:

father: Donald Chase MacKintosh (1819 to 1902)

son: Charles MacKintosh (1857 to 1923) – he built a home in 1892 at 1913 Northampton Street and then in 1896 at 459 Northampton Street

grandson: John MacKintosh – banker in Holyoke and Springfield

great grandson: Donald MacKintosh

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map called the Hampden Cotton Mill

Sanborn 1889 map called MacKintosh and Sons Colored Cotton

Sanborn 1895 map

Sanborn 1915 map

Sanborn 1949 map

Sanborn 1956 map shows the Lyman Street Chromium – the Electric Game – Whithill (sheet metal)

Bishop Block

The Bishop Block was owned by the Bishop family for years. It is at 287-289 High Street.

Boston Butter House

1908 ad

By 1915 it is called the O’Connor Building and Edward O’Connor sold clothes.

In 1908 the New York Butter House is here but they would move up to the next block on High Street in later years.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map shows a four floor structure in place with the tenant being a pharmacy

Sanborn 1889 map shows a four floor structure

Sanborn 1895 map

Sanborn 1915 map

Sanborn 1949 map

Sanborn 1956 map

Mountain Park

Mountain Park started in 1895 in Northampton just over the border from Holyoke. It was trolley owned from the start. It has evolved through the years to suit the needs of the owners and the community.

Mountain Park was a animal park and a theater area under William Loomis. An extension of the trolley passed along the road above. See the trolley MAP. The trolley ran from Holyoke to Mountain Park every half hour from 6 AM to midnight. The Holyoke Street Railway under Loomis operated the city trolley system. The Mount Tom Rail ran up the mountain. There was a third piece of the trolley route from the park to the base of the mountain.

William Loomis was a great benefactor to Holyoke. He gave his land to the Holyoke Home for the Aged. LINK

View of the drive around Whiting Street Reservoir in 1904.

The Casino has a wonderful history and you can read about it HERE. This is a link to the Jacqueline Lynch book “Comedy and Tragedy on the Mountain”.

In 1929 it changed to a park with many large rides such a roller coaster (under Louis Pellessier) and a Merry-Go-Round. In 1952 it changed again into an Art Deco amusement park with a midway under John Collins. Read about the Mountain Park era from this BOOK.

It closed for good in 1988. For a few years concerts were held here.

Sanborn 1915 map

History of Medical Care in Holyoke

The History of Medical Care in Holyoke is a lengthy topic.

namereasonlocationinformationstartend
Providence Hospitalgeneralinformation1873
Holyoke HospitalgeneralBeech Streetinformation1893
Carpenter Hospital (Isolation Hospital)tuberculosisCherry Streetinformation19181937
Clarke Surgical HospitalSmith’s Ferryinformation1920
Infectious HospitalinfectionsJarvis Avenueinformation1918
Municipal Home Hospitalinformation
Pest Houseinfectionsinformation
Holyoke Contagious Disease Hospital (Holyoke Sanatorium)infectionsCherry Streetinformation19121937
information
information

Dr Paul Nathan