Turning 200: Amesbury’s Oldest Mill Building

By Ron Klodenski, ACM Industrial Survey Team Volunteer
Based on research paper by Mike Harrold, ACM Industrial Survey Team Volunteer

Amesbury’s oldest existing textile mill is now Ben’s Uniforms. When built in 1820, the structure was four stories tall and produced cotton cloth, with power supplied by Powow River water. Over the years, the building was converted to commercial and retail uses and the top three floors were removed.

On a normal (non-pandemic) day, hundreds of people pass Amesbury’s oldest existing mill building without knowing. No bronze plaque or historic marker calls attention to this historic structure right in the middle of town. And instead of the industrial-looking brick or stone face you might expect, the contemporary retail storefront of Ben’s Uniforms disguises an old textile mill – one that turns 200 years old this year.

Unlike many preserved or restored industrial buildings downtown, the Ben’s Uniforms store at 20 Main Street, once called Mill 3, is no longer recognizable as a former water-powered factory. This prompted Carriage Museum volunteer Mike Harrold to look behind the disguise. Over its history, Mike discovered, a variety of owners have worked to hide the mill’s age and original purpose.

Mill 3 when Hamilton Woolen Co. acquired it in the 1880s. It was four stories tall and was the first textile mill on the east (Salisbury) side of the Powow River.

Thanks to Mike’s investigating skills, we now have a clear picture of the building’s history and how it fits into the fabric of Amesbury’s industrial past. His latest research paper, The 200th Anniversary of Mill 3, details the Mill 3 timeline and transformations over its 200-year history. Unfortunately, as Mike reports, “much has been lost in the historical fog.”

First mill in Salisbury

What was eventually named Mill 3 was constructed on Main Street beside the Powow River in 1820 for manufacturing cloth. It wasn’t the first textile factory on the Powow, but it was the first one on the east (Salisbury) side of the river. At that time, the east side of the river was Salisbury, the Powow River being the border between Amesbury and Salisbury. (The two older mills on the other side of the river were demolished years ago, leaving Mill 3 with the seniority status it enjoys today.)

Front of Mill 3 about 1900 (top), after its conversion to retail and office space, and the same view today (bottom). In 1900, the former mill had two floors and a decorative facade had been added to disguise the industrial origin of the structure. Floor 1 is the home of the Fred W. Peabody piano and organ store and floor 2 is office space. Today the former mill is a single story housing Ben’s Uniforms.

In 1820, the new building must have been a striking addition to Main Street. It stood four stories tall and was powered by water from the Powow, which still washes against the south wall of the structure below a colorful mural celebrating Amesbury’s industrial past. The mill no doubt made money for its owners, continuing to produce wool or cotton cloth until about 1880 – an impressive 60-year run.

1880 was the year most Amesbury mill buildings on the Powow, including Mill 3, were purchased by the Hamilton Woolen Co., headquartered in Southbridge, Mass. The new owners had ideas that would bring changes to Mill 3 and to downtown Amesbury.

Location, location...

The Hamilton Company’s main business was making cloth, but in the 1880s the company realized it now held excess space in Amesbury. The business-minded owners needed other ways to generate revenue from their recent property acquisitions in the town. Mill 3 was being under-utilized, serving only as a storage space for wool, a waste of valuable floor space on a busy street in the center of town. Hamilton executives decided to generate some revenue by converting this prime real estate location into retail space that could be rented out. Although textile manufacturing was declining in Amesbury at the time, the emerging carriage-building industry was keeping the community busy and prosperous.

Developing retail and commercial space to take advantage of this prosperity appeared to be a smart move. Hamilton Company continued to acquire Main Street buildings for retail and commercial space. They also added a building adjacent to Mill 3 on Main Street for the same purpose. Market Square was becoming a popular destination for shoppers.

First Facelift for the old mill

About 1892, Hamilton Company added a glass storefront to Mill 3 and created office space on the second floor. Mike’s report describes how they also removed the top two floors and added a decorative facade to make the building less industrial and more visually appealing to passers-by. The disguise was complete. By 1894, the shortened and renovated Mill 3 was a home furnishings store with offices on the second floor. In 1899, the first floor was home to a stationery and piano store. The one-story building adjacent to Mill 3, constructed by Hamilton Company about 1892, was rented to a women’s hat shop and a drug store.

By 1908, Mill 3 had become a bookstore, and was purchased by Amesbury businessman John J. Allen. He expanded that business to newspaper distribution, postcard publishing and sale of stationery and office products. His store, the former Mill 3, had become the heart of Amesbury’s downtown retail district. Later insurance maps show pianos and music also for sale at that location.

After more than 30 successful years, around 1940, Allen moved his store out of Mill 3. Sometime after that, the Mill 3 building was connected to the adjacent Main Street building, increasing its first-floor retail square footage and leaving the building’s appearance much as it is today.

Familiar national chains move in

In 1941, the Amesbury Daily News announced that F. W. Woolworth Company, a department store chain, would take over the building formerly occupied by Allen’s Book Store and “Woolworth’s” officially opened in October. The store continued in old Mill 3 for 17 years -- until the end of 1958. Then, after remaining empty for almost two years, the building was purchased by the Aubuchon Hardware chain.

The new hardware store opened at the end of 1961 and Aubuchon Hardware remained a fixture on Main Street until 1984, when the building was purchased by the owners of Ben’s Men’s Store. Today, everyone knows the store as Ben’s Uniforms.

Invitation to read more

You’re invited to read Mike Harrold’s detailed research paper for more information and a clear picture of how Mill 3 history meshes with the rich industrial history of Amesbury and national events. You’re also welcome to give Mill 3 a respectful glance in honor of its age the next time you pass by.