National Register of Historic Places

Central Mills Historic District

Southbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Listed
June 21, 1989
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
89000595

About this property

The Central Mills Historic District encompasses a historic mill complex on the Quinebaug River in central Southbridge, Massachusetts. Located at the corner of Foster and North Streets, the site consists of three brick buildings, the oldest of which has portions dating to 1837. Despite being extensively rebuilt in the early 20th century, the complex has an appearance that is more typical of 19th century mills. The Central Manufacturing Company was established in 1837, and was one of Southbridge's major employers well into the 20th century. The company built its premises on the site of Southbridge's earliest grist- and sawmills, and the town grew around the facility. By late in the 19th century most New England textile mills were in decline, due to increased competition in the South. However, Central Manufacturing embarked on a major renovation of its plant in 1908. It knocked a significant portion of the 1837 plant, and built the present two story brick structure, with the surviving 1837 section attached to its rear. The building is in the Romanesque Revival style, with rounded arch windows and a small tower. In addition to the main factory building, there are two other buildings in the complex. One is a small single story office building, also built in 1908 and with Romanesque Revival styling. This building is on the same parcel as the main building. The third building is a more utilitarian brick warehouse, built 1915, which is located across North Street (but also fronting on Foster) from the main building. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Location

Southbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts
42.07733, -72.03133

Categories

INDUSTRYARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Nearby Historic Sites

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0.1 mi
St. George's Greek Orthodox Church
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0.1 mi
Sumner, George, House
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Questions about this property

When was Central Mills Historic District listed on the National Register?

Central Mills Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 21, 1989.

What type of historic resource is Central Mills Historic District?

Central Mills Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Central Mills Historic District?

The period of significance for Central Mills Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Central Mills Historic District?

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