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| Mill at Winchendon Springs, MA, 1867. Courtesy of Eric White. CLICK TO ENLARGE. |
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| Mill at Winchendon Springs, MA, 1800s. Courtesy of Eric White. CLICK TO ENLARGE. |
The following is from the written recollections of Mary Bosworth, former secretary to Nelson D. White, the
last owner of the mill. Ms. Bosworth also served as postmaster of Winchendon Springs. Courtesy of Eric White, great-nephew
of Nelson D. White.
"Deacon
White came from West Boylston (Mass.) to Winchendon Springs in 1843. With his six children, he moved to a house on Mill Circle,
built in 1799 for a tavern to house the many people who came to the spring to benefit from the water, which was impregnated
with iron and sulfur and was a valuable remedy for some ailments."
"In 1843, Deacon White and his son Nelson went to an auction of Springs Mfg. Company in Boston, and bought the
company for $17,500. They organized Nelson Mills, and in 1857, built the Springs mill and a model village in Mill Circle.
All the houses were two-family, painted white with dark doors, gutters and roofs. All had large white chimneys with black
bands around the top to keep witches away."
"If the mill was not running, no rent was charged; if running half time, only half the rent was charged. Rent
ranged from $.90 to $2.00 a week. In spring, back yards were plowed by the mill, and they had an open car running on a sidetrack
with potatoes for all who wanted to plant. In fall, wood was cut down and trucked to the houses. Buildings were well maintained
and paint and wallpaper were available to all who wanted them."
"Although employees worked long hours, at first 72 hours, there was no great pressure. Pay was small and only
received quarterly. Most of the employees came off farms and seemed happy to be with people. In the early days, there was
no great distinction between employers and employees, and all joined in the dancing."
"During World War II, our entire production was taken over by the Navy Department.
We ran three shifts, about 500 employees, and had government men here at all times. Those years were very successful financially,
so the company decided to spend some of that money by putting indoor plumbing in the 86 tenements they owned. Families were
moved from house to house so kitchens could be changed, pantries removed and indoor plumbing put in."
"However, during those years, new plants were being
built, especially in the South. Textiles were dying out in New England and White Brothers decided to sell. All the mill houses
were sold, principally to the people in them. The last cloth was run off in 1956. The rest of the village and mills were sold
to Ray Plastic Co. in 1959."
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"Joseph Nelson White was born at Winchendon Springs, Massachusetts,
October 4, 1851, son of Nelson Davis and Julia Davis Long White. The first of the family in America was Thomas White, who
came over on the ship "Annabel" from England in 1660 and settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He was a Freeman
of Charlestown in 1666, and admitted to the Church in 1668."
"He attended the schools of his native town until his fifteenth year, when he was sent to the Highland Military
Academy in Worcester, where he remained for two years, graduating in 1867 with high rank. He then spent a year at the Institute
of Technology in Boston, taking a course in mechanical engineering, English literature, physics, and chemistry."
"In 1869 he entered his father's mill
at Winchendon Springs, and began that connection with the business which lasted for fifty years. In 1876, in addition to the
work of the mills, he engaged in a cotton brokerage business, which he followed for several years, and which proved to be
very lucrative. In 1877 he bought, with his brother, Zadoc, the Jaffrey Mills, starting out simply with credit and developing
very shortly a profitable and constantly growing enterprise. He was one of the prime factors in the various additions to the
Springs estate, particularly in the enlargement of the Springs mill by the building of a large weaving mill." -Historical
Register: A Record of People, Places and Events in Amercan History, 1921 **************************
"Winchendon (White Bros.): An application was received, Jan. 19, 1900, from
White Bros, of Winchendon Springs, for advice relative to the quality of the water of a spring at Winchendon Springs. The
Board replied to this application as follows: June
8,1900: In response to your request for advice as to the quality of the water of a spring at Winchendon Springs, the State
Board of Health has caused the spring and its surroundings to be examined and a sample of the water to be analyzed. The results
of the analysis show that the water is clear, colorless and odorless, but it has evidently been somewhat polluted by sewage,
probably from houses on the higher lands sloping toward the spring, and the water has been subsequently partially purified
in its passage through the ground. One characteristic of the water is the excessive quantity of iron in solution, which, when
the water is exposed to the air, gradually oxidizes and separates out of the water, forming a rusty precipitate. While in
its present state this water may not be unsafe for drinking, it is not a desirable drinking water, and, considering the circumstances,
the Board would advise that its use be avoided." -Annual report of the State Board of Health of Massachusetts,
Volume 32
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| Mill at Winchendon Springs, MA, 1800s. Courtesy of Eric White. CLICK TO ENLARGE. |
The mill is still in operation.
The facility is currently occupied by the Mylec Corporation. Founded in 1970, it is a leading manufacturer of street hockey
equipment. The Winchendon Springs Post Office is also located at the mill, and has been in continuous operation there since
the 1890s.
Continue with story, which includes many interviews and photos
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