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. 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 need 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.
I am in possession of a multi colored wool original horse blanket in great shape. I can send photos from my cell phone if you provide me with a cell phone number. If it is something that I could donate and send to the museum I would be happy to. Please let me know.