Historic Mills of Connecticut

Companies Associated w/Complex

• Consolidated Tool Works, Inc. ca.1920
• Derby Comb Co. 1902-ca.1915
• Hersey Metal Products Co. ca.1925-ca. 1950

Use (Historic)

• Consumer Products, Small Appliances
• Fabricated Metal Products
• Machine Tools, Machinery

Largest Documented Workforce

100-199 (1936)

Historic Narrative

The earliest portion of the former Hershey Metal Products Company plant (located along Hawkins Street) was built as a factory for the Derby Comb Company after a fire completely destroyed the firm’s Factory Street shop in 1902. Originally organized in 1891, the comb manufacturer occupied its Hawkins Street plant until ca. 1915, when it appears to have ceased operations. The factory was subsequently occupied by the Consolidated Tool Works, Inc. during the early 1920s, and around 1925 was acquired by the Hershey Metal Products Company. The Hershey Metal Products Company was established by Paul H. Hershey, a native of Hanover, Pennsylvania, in 1920. Hershey was trained as a machinist and toolmaker and for a portion of his early career worked in the mechanical engineering and sales fields of the metalworking industry. Upon founding his own manufacturing concern Hershey occupied a small shop on Caroline Street in Derby, but soon had to seek out a larger plant around 1925 when the company was incorporated. Upon incorporation, Paul H. Hershey held the dual role of president and treasurer, while his wife, Mary J.R. Hershey, served as the company’s secretary. The Hershey Metal Products Company experienced considerable success immediately following its founding, this largely led by Paul H. Hershey’s inventive mind and ability to design and bring new products to market. By the late-1920s and early-1930s these included a variety of stamped metal and screw machine products such as radio parts, jigs, fixtures, dies, and gauges. These were manufactured in its Hawkins Street plant, which the company expanded ca. 1930 and ca. 1940. Despite falling into temporary receivership in 1932, the Hershey Metal Products Company weathered the Great Depression and returned to profitability by the early 1940s. The company purchased an Ansonia, Connecticut, plant formerly occupied by the Ansonia Electrical Company around 1943, and by 1945 had erected substantial manufacturing and office blocks to this factory situated on the north side of Division Street just west of the Naugatuck River. During the early 1950s, the Hershey Metal Products Company shifted its manufacturing and administrative operations to this Ansonia branch, yet maintained its Hawkins Street complex for warehouse use. By 1960, the company had vacated its Derby property. This housed a car dealership during the 2000s, but today stands vacant.

Number of Existing Buildings

Roughly six (6) primary blocks.

Dates of Construction

1902, 1904, ca. 1930, ca. 1940.

Architect

n/a

Builder

n/a

Building Type

• Mill

Architectural Description

The former Hershey Metal Products Company plant is comprised of a group of roughly six adjoining blocks forming a unified complex on the on the east side of Hawkins Street, approximately 75 feet south of Hawkins Street’s intersection with Cottage Street. The oldest and original portion of the plant is a one-story, 40’ x 150’ red brick manufacturing building situated along Hawkins Street at the northeastern corner of the complex. This was erected in 1902 and has segmental-arched door and window openings, stone windowsills, and a low-pitched side-gable roof interrupted by three pyramidal skylights. A mix of glass block infill and vinyl double-hung windows have replaced the original fenestration, while a concrete block portico has been constructed around the entry at the northern end of the eastern elevation. A freestanding, one-story, red brick boiler house was constructed along with the main manufacturing block in 1902, and a freestanding, one-story, 30’ x 60’ red brick manufacturing block was erected to the west of the main block in 1904. These were integrated within the unified footprint of the complex ca. 1930 when additional buildings were constructed on the north and south sides of the 1904 block, and a combined machine shop and storage building was erected at the southwest corner of the plant. The red brick exterior walls and large window openings with multi-pane hopper-style steel sash used in the design of the latter are still visible along the building’s south elevation, while the western elevations of all but the main block have been sheathed with concrete panels, thus obscuring their original details. All of the later blocks have flat roofs except for the original boiler building, which has a shed roof. Sawtooth monitors interrupt the roof of the machine shop/storage building, however, these have been covered with roofing material. A large overhang has been constructed at the southwest corner of the complex in order to accommodate the property’s use as an auto dealership during the early 2000s.

Exterior Material(s)

• Brick
• Concrete

Structural System(s)

• Load Bearing Masonry

Roof Form

• Flat
• Gable
• Sawtooth
• Shed

Roof Material

• Asphalt
• EPDM

Power Source

• Electricity

Condition

Fair

Condition Notes

The complex is in fair condition. The exterior walls show some signs of deterioration; however, they appear sound, as do the plant’s various roofs. The majority of the original window openings have been preserved, although glass blocks or double-hung vinyl units have replaced preexisting wood sash. Several window openings have been boarded up or infilled with brick. The most significant alterations are at the rear of the building where concrete panels have been used to reface the structure and a large overhang constructed in order to accommodate the property’s use as an auto dealership during the early 2000s.

Specific Location

One 1.37 acre parcel on the west side of Hawkins Street directly south of Hawkins Street's intersection with Seymour Avenue.

Adjacent To

• Main Roads

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link

• 8-9 204 (for record, use link and type in address or parcel number) / Link →

Acreage

1.37

Use (Present)

• Vacant

Form Completed By

Lucas A. Karmazinas

Date

01/13/2015

Bibliography

1. List of Connecticut Manufacturers, 1922, 1924, 1930, 1932.
2. Directory of Connecticut State Manufacturers, 1936, 1939.
3. Map of New Haven County, H & C.T. Smith, 1856.
4. Atlas of New Haven County, Beers, Ellis & Soule, 1868.
5. Industrial Directory of Connecticut, 1947.
6. Register of War Production Facilities in Connecticut, 1951.
7. Sanborn Map Company, 1896, 1901, 1906, 1912, 1924, 1947.
8. Aerial Survey of Connecticut, 1934, 1965.
9. Bird’s Eye View of Birmingham, Connecticut, O.H. Bailey, 1876.
10. The History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880, 1880.
11. History of New Haven County, 1892.
12. Tercentenary Pictorial and History of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Malloy, Leo T., 1935.
13. Derby, Connecticut 300th Anniversary Commemorative Book; 1675-1975, 1975.
14. Hartford Courant, 1902, 1904, 1925, 1943.
15. Derby City Directories, 1900-1960.