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| THE MILLS OF MANSFIELD HOLLOW | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mansfield Hollow, once known as Swift's Hollow, is one of the small villages which arose along Mansfield's many streams. Early settlers saw the natural falls and swift-running water of the Natchaug River as a potential source of power to run the mills.
Probably the first primitive mill here was a saw mill to cut logs, although the earliest mention of a mill in local archives is of John Arnold's grist mill in 1728. Both were necessities — wood to provide shelter for man and beasts, and grist to become grain for food. By 1761, bolting and fulling mills were on the site, and later Barzillai Swift operated an oil mill. Mansfield's silk industry originated with Dr. Nathaniel Aspinwall's importation of mulberry trees and silkworms in 1760. Silk was to become of major importance to Mansfield. During the first half of the 19th century, the town became one of the country's leading producers of silk. By 1833 Zalmon Storrs was spinning silk in the Hollow, followed by others. One can see the names of old mill owners and partners on some of the venerable houses in the village — Swift, Rixford, Bingham and Hinckley. In 1873, a group of entrepreneurs, calling themselves the National Thread Company, organized to make spool cotton. Success led to their construction of a new building in 1882, made of local granite. For a while the business flourished, but it failed in 1899. The property was held briefly by Willimantic's American Thread Company, but never operated by them.
George Kirby, a Providence jeweler, bought the mill in 1902 and started making optical parts and related accessories. His products were marketed in states east of the Mississippi and overseas. In 1912, the structure's original tower was heightened to accommodate a large hoist for lifting machinery and supplies to the upper floor. Herbert G. Chappell, a Mansfield Hollow carpenter and mason, built the new tower with a flatter roof and added clock faces on all four sides; however, clockworks were never installed. The mill manufactured brass primers for British guns during World War I, then chains, screws, springs, gold spectacles, eyeglass cases, and finally aviator goggles in World War II, before closing completely around 1950. Following Kirby's death in 1965, the mill was conveyed to the State of Connecticut and used by the University as a storage facility for the next 30 years. The Town of Mansfield purchased the building in 1996, and subsequently sold it to the Windham Automated Machine Co., designers and makers of hi-tech machines. WAM completely renovated and modernized the 24,000 square foot structure in 1997. Its present-day address is 114 Mansfield Hollow Road, Mansfield Center, CT 06250. When the Army Corps of Engineers built a flood control dam (1949-1952), the project met with strenuous objections initially, but has proven to be a benefit to the little hamlet — protecting it from encroachment and urbanization. The Hollow remains today an unspoiled example of a 19th-century mill village. Residents still tend to their vegetable gardens, and livestock still graze in pastures. Footnotes: (1.) In 1979, the Mansfield Hollow Historic District (#86-127 Mansfield Hollow Road) was added to the National Register of Historic Places; the Mansfield Hollow Dam (#141) was added in 2003. (2.) See a topographical map of Mansfield Hollow. Definition: bolting mill — a small building in which flour was sifted, in the days before commercial flour was readily available. Other Mill Related Buildings
Mill HousingThe two buildings across the street from the mill served as housing for workers at the National Thread Company and later, the G. J. Kirby Mill. Both houses were probably built about 1850. The two buildings are now apartments. Originally there was a third boarding house. Zalmon Storrs House (110 Mansfield Hollow Road)This 1-1/2 story frame house was probably built for Zalmon Storrs around the mid 19th century. It is not known if it ever served as a residence. Zalmon Storrs and his sons were among the first to manufacture silk thread in the Hollow, organizing a company there in 1833. According to tradition, the house was used by machinists who did repairs at the mill. Fearing Swift House (103 Mansfield Hollow Road)This 2-1/2 story house was probably built sometime between 1790 and 1810. The stone ell to the rear is thought to have been a shop. Fearing Swift, his brother George and his father Barzillai were leading entrepreneurs of their time in the Hollow. They owned and operated several mills by the river. At that time the area was commonly known as Swift's Hollow. Captain George Swift House (100 Mansfield Hollow Road)This 1-1/2 story cape was probably built in 1804 by Captain George Swift. George Swift was part owner of Swift's Mill which included a fulling mill and a grist mill. Later owners were Reuben Peck who was involved in cotton manufacturing and Nathan Rixford who owned mills on the river and was known as an inventor and manufacturer of silk machinery. Nathan Rixford House (98 Mansfield Hollow Road)This Greek Revival house was built by Nathan Rixford sometime between 1839 and 1845. Rixford built silk machinery in the Hollow during the 1830s and began to operate his own silk mill there in 1839. In 1847, he was cited for the excellence of his sewing silk. According to local tradition, the house was first occupied by Marcus Monroe Johnson who was a foreman at Rixford's silk mill.
A. S. and G. F. Swift House (97 Mansfield Hollow Road)This Greek Revival house is thought to have been built by Mansfield's master-builder, Edwin Fitch, in the 1830s or 40s. The house was built for members of the Swift family, proprietors of the Hollow's grist, saw and fulling mills. Jonathan L. Hinckley House (89 Mansfield Hollow Road)In 1843, Jonathan Hinckley engaged Colonel Edwin Fitch to build this Greek Revival house. It was added to an earlier structure, now the rear ell. Hinckley had previously lived in South Coventry where he had established himself as a builder of silk and woolen mill machinery. He continued his association with the silk industry in Mansfield Hollow. In later years his son-in-law, Dr. Edwin G. Sumner, lived in the house and used an upstairs room for his medical office. Oliver Bingham House (88 Mansfield Hollow Road)This 2-1/2 story center chimney house was built c. 1804. Oliver Bingham was one of the earliest involved in manufacturing in the Hollow. His son, Jesse Bingham, was a partner in 1829 in the Mansfield Silk Company. |
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