Canal Days – Page 178 – Historical Tours of the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts

Springfield Blanket Mill

Warren Wilkinson built the Springfield Blanket Company on the Third Level Canal. They are a horse blanket firm. They made a million blankets a year at peak.

Item is from Springfield Blanket Co., Inc Holyoke, Mass and is a gift to the HPT from Patty Fuller.

The mill was organized May 2 1870 and incorporated Dec of 1919. There was also a Springfield Blanket Company in Winchendon. When there was a fire at that mill in 1873, the production was raised at the Holyoke mill. The partnership was with J O Blanding who died in 1875. FINDAGRAVE When Warren died in 1892 his nephew Edward Wilkinson took over. The land that Warren Wilkinson owned in the southern part of Holyoke was taken over by the Catholic bishop of Springfield and turned into Brightside. The only reason that the Springfield Blanket Company was called that is that Warren Wilkinson had his house in Springfield in 1870 and they needed a name that would be known around the country and Springfield had that.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1949 map shows an empty lot

Horses were very important in Holyoke like the rest of the country. Below is a horseshoer ad in the city directory.

LINK to my Patreon pay per view video on this mill.

Newton Paper

Moses Newton built up the Newton Paper Mill in 1873. He is one of the four Newton brothers of Holyoke. His son Herbert Newton was also president for many years.

Types of paper that they made are the Medal and Elephant Brands.

Sanborn map analysis:

Hampden Glaze Paper Mill

George Fowler built the Hampden Glaze Paper and Card Company in 1880 between the Second Level Canal and the river. It has been in the family for all these many years – that is, five generations of Fowlers. George Fowler made his home in Springfield.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map – just off the map

Sanborn 1889 map – just off the map

Sanborn 1895 map – just off the map

Sanborn 1915 map

Sanborn 1949 map

Sanborn 1956 map

Norman Paper Mill

The Norman Paper Mill was built between the Second Level Canal and the Connecticut River. It is from 1891. It is still there but no longer used for paper production.

This mill was one of many designed by the Tower Brothers.

PICTURE – PICTURE

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1915 map and all prior maps show nothing since all is empty

Sanborn 1949 map now part of Holyoke Water Power

Sanborn 1956 map now part of Holyoke Water Power

Franklin Mill

James Newton started the Franklin Mill in 1866 on the third canal. They made fine paper. It would soon thereafter pass into the ownership of James Ramage who lived at 233 Walnut Street.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 9696594-Copy-1024x731.jpg

Sanborn map analysis:

Massasoit

The Massasoit was a maker of extra fine paper and fine paper. One of the owners was an Edward C Rogers who lived in Springfield.

Sanborn map analysis

Sanborn 1949 map as the Holyoke Water Power Co

Sanborn 1956 map as the Holyoke Water Power Co

Skinner Silk Mill

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 1884 map

Sanborn 1889 map

Sanborn 1895 map

Sanborn 1915 map – map C

Sanborn 1949 map – map B – map C

Sanborn 1956 map – map B – map C

Holyoke Manila Mill

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

Seymour Cutlery (Warner File Company)

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.)

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