A Mill 2 Scrapbook
Dear Friend of the Museum,
In 1839, John Warner Barber (1798 - 1885) drew the Amesbury and Salisbury mills district. Mill 2 stands as the largest building on the landscape. (Collections of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester). Click here to see the collection.
Today Mill 2 is the home of Amesbury Industrial Supply - a remarkable old-style hardware business with an entrance on High Street. If you have never been inside, I highly recommend a trip and guarantee you will get a "feel" for the history of this place.
This historic building has a remarkable story to tell. For nearly 200 years Mill 2 has stood as a towering landmark in the Amesbury millyard. Over that time it has been a place of work for thousands of people who made textiles and then automobile bodies, hardware, accessories and more.
Construction of Mill 2 began in 1825 and took at least two years to complete. When it was completed, textiles were made here for the Salisbury Manufacturing Company and our town claimed its place in the New England industrial revolution.
There are amazing details about this building - it took one million bricks to build, used huge timbers each 50 feet long, and drew water power from the Powow River. And then there are the stories of the people who have worked here.
Mill 2 will also become the home of our Industrial History Center. This is an incredible location for our project and will provide the foundation for the community stories we can share together.
As always - I thank you for your support and your interest. And invite you toreach out to me with any questions or comments.
Best to you all,
John Mayer, Executive Director
jmayer@amesburycarriagemuseum.com