National Register of Historic Places

Old Mill Site Historic District

Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
Listed
June 1, 1982
Type
District
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82001911

About this property

The Old Mill Site Historic District in Hatfield, Massachusetts encompasses the site of a late 19th century mill. It is one of only two such sites in the town. The centerpiece of the district is the former Shattuck Gun Factory building (built 1881), which in 1989 housed newspaper offices and in 2006 a bed and breakfast. The district, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, includes three other elements: an 1891 Warren pony truss bridge across the Mill River, now closed to traffic, and a machine shop and garage (located across the river from the mill), both built in 1886. The district was also included in the larger Mill-Prospect Street Historic District in 2002. The mill site has a history of industrial use since 1661, when Thomas Meekins was granted water rights on the falls, and established a grist mill. He eventually also built a sawmill. Additional mills were built in the early 19th century, including a sawmill which spanned the river. This site was one of Hatfield's major industrial employers in the 19th century. In 1865, the complex was adapted for the production of guns, first by Henry Porter and later by Charles Shattuck. Most of the existing buildings were destroyed in a fire, and Shattuck built the existing mill building in 1881. The main mill building is a three-story wood-frame structure, with a gabled roof and clapboarded exterior. It is seventeen bays long and six wide, and is capped by a cupola with a pagoda-shaped roof. Its foundation is set partly in the river, with its water power provided through a penstock to a turbine chamber in the basement.

Location

48 and 50 Prospect St.
Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
42.37116, -72.59643

Categories

INDUSTRYENGINEERING
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Old Mill Site Historic District

This page lists Old Mill Site Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Old Mill Site Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Porter-Phelps-Huntington House
Industrial
0.5 mi
Mill-Prospect Street Historic District
Civil War
0.6 mi
Hatfield Center Historic District
Listed
0.8 mi
Elm Street Historic District
Colonial
1.1 mi
Upper Main Street Historic District
Listed
1.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Old Mill Site Historic District listed on the National Register?

Old Mill Site Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 1, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Old Mill Site Historic District?

Old Mill Site Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Old Mill Site Historic District?

The period of significance for Old Mill Site Historic District is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Old Mill Site Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Old Mill Site Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Hampshire County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Hampshire County.

Explore HampshireCounty ›

More historic places in Massachusetts

Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.

View Massachusettshistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Massachusetts history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Massachusettshistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Old Mill Site Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report