SCHWAMB MILL PRESERVATION TRUST INC
Cause Area
- Arts & Culture
- Community
Location
17 MILL LNARLINGTON, MA 02476 United StatesWebsite:
http://www.oldschwambmill.org
Organization Information
Mission Statement
The Schwamb Mill Preservation Trust exists for the preservation, maintenance and enhancement of the Old Schwamb Mill in Arlington, Massachusetts. Established in 1864 as a picture frame manufactory, the Mill is located on the site of many previous mills built on Mill Brook. It is the rare survivor of the small, family owned mills that helped define New England and is the oldest continuously operating mill site in the United States. The Mill’s unique 19th century elliptical faceplate lathes, its original shaft-and-pulley machinery, and the original hand-turning process are used to this day to create custom-made oval and circular frames. The Trust preserves and protects the Mill’s site, buildings, tools, archives, machinery and manufacturing techniques as unique cultural and educational resources.
Description
In 1864, Charles Schwamb purchased a rebuilt, two-and-a-half story wood frame industrial building that had been built three years earlier but never occupied. The Schwambs proceeded to build west and east wing additions in 1869 and the late 1880s, respectively and were still making picture frames on the premises as late as 1969. After 105 years operating as a family-owned business, a remarkable transition from working factory to a living history museum was made possible by the vision and determination of Arlington resident and early preservationist Patricia Cunningham Fitzmaurice
The Mill’s unique 19th-century elliptical lathes, its original belt-driven shaft-and-pulley machinery, and the original hand-turning process are used to this day to create custom-made oval and circular frames for customers around the world.
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