By the late 19th century, the Walloomsac River in Bennington, Vt. was flanked by small to mid-sized mills that produced everything from children’s underwear to cotton mopheads to wax paper. The owners of these mills tended to be wealthy entrepreneurs from out of town, who moved to the region because of its cheap labor force and plentiful water power. Their products tended to serve a regional customer and fit a very specific use. And besides a few mainstays, their businesses also tended to be relatively short-lived, with fire, competition and further innovation being the main culprits.
Many people know that Bennington was was home of one of this country’s most renowned potteries, and that neighboring Shaftsbury was the birthplace of the modern carpenter’s square — and a business that remained on the same grounds for nearly two centuries before closing last year. But according to Phyllis Chapman, director of education at the Bennington Museum, fewer people, especially the younger generation, understand the extent to which industry dominated life in Bennington a century ago.
Chapman, in conjunction with the Bennington Historical Society, gave a presentation on the industrial development in Bennington at the Village at Fillmore Pond Sunday afternoon. Her talk focused on the heyday of Bennington’s industrial boom — the last few decades of the 19th century — but she also considered why industry supplanted agriculture, and why it began to disappear by the Second World War.
Through a program with the museum, Chapman teaches local schoolchildren about their heritage. “We are not as much of an industrial or mill town as we once were, but I think it’s important that young people know that was a very important part of their history, particularly in the late 1800s and even up until after World War II,†she said.
The beginnings of industry
When the very first settlers arrived in Bennington in the early 1760s, their immediate concerns were to build shelter and make sure they had food and water to get through the tough winters. Chapman said in those first several years, “there was very little in the way of cash money. Most transactions were taken care of through barter, and if someone saw $5 in cash throughout a given year, they were well-to-do, indeed.â€
“But a town or village can exist on that circumstance just so long, and then they need to have some income-generating type of enterprises. So very, very shortly after the original settlement, industries did begin to develop in Bennington proper [Old Bennington].†These first industries provided “things that made subsistence a little bit easierâ€: a grist mill to grind flour, a blacksmith shop to make tools, and of course a saw mill.
The original Bennington settlement, now called Old Bennington, lies at the top of a hill. Chapman said this location is “not particularly conducive to the expansion of a lot of business or industry, because in those days ... there was basically one major source of power to supply a factory: water power.†There was very little water at the top of the hill, so later development moved into the river valley that became downtown Bennington. Other plants were built down river in what became the village of North Bennington, where the Walloomsac and Paran Creek meet.
Chapman showed a series of maps of how mills increased alongside the Walloomsac throughout the 19th century. In fact, enterprising mill owners cut channels from the main flow of the Walloomsac, which were diverted and then reconnected to provide extra power, a process she compared to splicing an electrical line.
The heaviest period of industrial growth came from 1860 to 1880, according to Chapman, and 1890 is considered to be the peak of industrial activity there. Water continued to be the major source of power. By 1887, some three dozen mills could be found along a two-mile stretch of the Walloomsac near the downtown. Along with the mills came housing developments for the workers, and many neighborhoods — such as Greenwich Street in North Bennington, or Benmont Avenue in Bennington — were engineered by mill owners.
Major enterprises
Bennington industry was noted for four main products or enterprises: the textile industry, the iron industry, pottery, and tool-making. These anchor businesses lasted many generations and gained a national reputation for their wares.
The earliest manufacturers, dating back to 1800, used cotton shipped north on wagons or boats, to produce clothing. Knitted (rather than woven) goods were prevalent, a tradition that continues to this day. Carding mills treated raw wool that could then be used by residents to spin clothing. The textile industry probably had the widest variety of mills, making many different items. One of the most notable was the E-Z Waist Company, a long-lived producer of children’s underwear that was started in North Bennington and then moved to Bennington after a fire.
The textile industry was helped in 1852 when rail service became linked to the area, making shipment easier. The Civil War temporarily blocked off the supply of raw cotton, but did not have a lasting impact on business, Chapman said.
The textile industry especially, “brought a lot of people from outside,†Chapman said. “They wanted to exploit three things that we had: water power, the facilities, and very, very good skilled workers. And also in my readings I’m finding out they were attracted largely because these skilled workers were, later on in the period, not union workers. They were very happy to come and take advantage of the labor that they had here.â€
The cotton industry also required a heavy initial investment, because of the machinery used and the need to ship both raw materials and finished products great distances.
The iron industry sprang up in Bennington largely as a result of the success of Troy, N.Y. as a manufacturer of iron stoves. Many companies here made different parts that were shipped to Troy. The first iron ore beds were discovered in Shaftsbury, and in the 1790s they were turned into a small foundry, Chapman said.
The iron industry created a need for several offshoot industries. Smelting iron takes a large furnace (this is where Furnace Brook in North Bennington gets its name), and it requires extremely high temperatures, which cannot be reached by burning wood. So a charcoal industry developed. Making charcoal requires putting a tree in a large, air-tight kiln and cooking it at a low temperature for two to three weeks until everything but the carbon has been released from the wood. Many trees in the area literally met their demise to be used for fuel that was used to melt iron that was used on Troy-built stoves.
Pottery is probably the industry for which Bennington is most famous. The Bennington Pottery, started by a farmer named Capt. John Norton in 1793, who found clay on his property on the south side of Old Bennington, was a family-run business for nearly a century. This is completely separate from the Bennington Potters people know today.
Norton redware pieces were functional crockery items used primarily for storing food and water in the days before refrigeration. Salt was thrown in the kiln as the pieces were fired, creating the shiny glaze that made them more smooth and glossy.
The U.S. Pottery Company, a short-lived venture from the 1850s started by Dorset-born Christopher Fenton, who had learned the trade from Norton’s grandson, specialized in more decorative pieces, knickknacks for Victorian homes. Fenton’s vision was perhaps overly ambitious, and after three years he found himself in debt and had to close the factory.
Shaftsbury also found itself with an anchor industry. In 1817, a resident named Silas Hawes was granted one of the first patents by the U.S. government for his carpenter’s square. Though he soon left the area, “he was very liberal in sharing his innovation with others,†Chapman said, and four of them formed the Eagle Square partnership in 1859. They had “a monopoly†on square-making that earned them a national reputation, Chapman said, and they built many other tools besides squares. In 1915, they were bought out by Stanley Tools, which maintained the operation until last year.
A variety of ventures
“They’ve said that the Northeast has been the place for inventors and machinists, as opposed to Southern or Western states, and there does seem to be some justification for that statement,†said Chapman. “The majority of patents granted by the United States have been granted to people in the New England area. ... We also are not an area that would have been very well suited for large, mass agricultural production,†with rocky soil and difficult topography. “Industry just naturally took hold.â€
“The interesting part of Bennington industry that I find are the unbelievable things that used to be made here that you would never think of,†said Chapman.
“Along with these large-scale industries ... there were many many other small entrepreneurs, proprietors, that made a variety of products. These were mainly for regional use, not to be sent to New York City or Boston.â€
Briefly:
• Hoop skirts (also known as crinoline): Collapsible skirts were the rage in the 1850s, and “we had a short-lived but flourishing factory that manufactured hoop skirts, by a man named Carney,†an industrialist who became instrumental in the establishment of the Bennington Monument.
• Children’s shoes: Tanneries were small but early businesses in Bennington and elsewhere. Requiring considerable skill and time, they were one of the first to be industrialized. In the 1870s, Trenor Park (original owner of the Park-McCullough House) started a boot and shoe company in North Bennington, which was in business a few years before the building burned, and now the McCullough Free Library stands on the spot.
• Ladies buttons: In 1880 the Globe Button Works created buttons through a mechanized process. The company only lasted a year.
• Brushes: The A.S. Payne Brush Co., and later on the Bennington Brush Company, made simple brushes using an early form of plastic for their handles.
• Stereoscopes: These were the invention of H.C. White Co. in North Bennington, which also made the earliest slide projectors. This pastime was made obsolete by the time moving pictures came to town in the 1910s.
• Wax paper: There was an extensive, though small-scale, paper industry in the area. Wax paper, rag paper, wall paper, were all manufactured at one time.
• Office equipment: E.L. Sibley made precision-type tools to fill business needs of the late 19th century.
• Cotton mopheads: Manufactured by well-known entrepreneur Enos Adams, who was involved in many different ventures, including a shoe-making factory on South Street, ochre mines used for paint. His company also made the wooden mop handles, of course. And he mined quartz in Adams and was ground up to make scrubbing soap: Adams’ Mineral Soap. He also owned a patent on a water-wheel governor, to regulate flow on a water wheel.
• Clothes ringer: One of the household items made at the Putnam factory on North Street, along with hooks, hangers and carpet tacks.
Chapman closed by saying that mill life could be tough, with frequent fires and long hours being worked. Many of the workers were women, as the men tended to take the train commute to New York for higher wages there. By the end of World War II, the textile industry was largely out of business, and new, high-tech industries took over, such as the Eveready Battery Co., Mack Molding and ChemFab. Now in the 21st century, a new chapter of Bennington’s industrial development is being written.
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Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.
In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.
Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear.
The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.
"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."
Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.
In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.
The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.
"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.
The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.
In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.
"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
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