Historic Mills of Connecticut

Companies Associated w/Complex

• Bradley & Hoyt Co. 1866-1899
• Hawkins Co. 1899-ca. 1965

Use (Historic)

• Consumer Products, Small Appliances
• Textiles

Largest Documented Workforce

24-49 (1939)

Historic Narrative

The Hawkins Company was originally organized by Ira L. Hawkins for the manufacture of tacks, buttons, and other metal specialties. The firm appears to have begun operations in Waterbury, Connecticut around 1890 and expanded significantly in 1895 after acquiring control of Blake, Lamb and Company, an animal trap manufacturer established in Waterbury during the mid-19th century. In 1899, Hawkins purchased a four-story woolen mill located in the South Britain section of Southbury that had formerly been operated by the Bradley and Hoyt Company. All of the Hawkins Company’s operations were moved to this plant along the Pomperaug River ca. 1900. Production of animal traps quickly became the primary focus of the Hawkins Company and the former Bradley and Hoyt Company mill was enlarged in several phases in order to accommodate demand. Traps manufactured by the Hawkins Company were particularly popular among North American fur trappers and various sources note that the vast majority (nine out of ten, for instance) of traps found in Canada during the early 20th century would read “SOUTH BRITAIN, CONN” if evaluated. Work at the Hawkins Company plant continued into the middle of the 20th century regardless of the impact of several devastating floods, among these being the 1955 flood, which destroyed the stone dam that had originally provided power to the mill. The Hawkins Company eventually closed its doors during the late 1960s.

Number of Existing Buildings

Roughly eight (8) primary blocks.

Dates of Construction

ca. 1866, ca. 1900.

Architect

n/a

Builder

n/a

Building Type

• Mill

Architectural Description

The former Hawkins Company plant is comprised of eight primary adjoining and freestanding blocks located at the western terminus of Hawkins Road and along the eastern bank of the Pomperaug River. The core of the mill is a four-story, 36’ x 64’ wood-frame block erected ca. 1866. This has clapboard siding, six-over-six double-hung wood windows with plain wood surrounds (the window openings on the upper story are smaller than those on the other levels), wide rakeboards, and a low-pitch front-facing gable roof. A small loading door is located below a hoist beam in the building’s north gable end and a rectangular cupola with a pyramidal roof is centered along the block’s ridgeline. Various wood-frame and red brick additions were made to the plant ca. 1900. Among these is a two-story, 50’ x 38’ wood-frame block erected adjoining the north elevation of the original mill. This has clapboard siding, a mix of 12-over-12 and one-over-one double-hung windows, and a widely overhanging front-facing gable roof. Full-width porches with turned supports and balusters extend along the upper floors of the east and west (side) elevations of the block. Further additions to the original mill include a one-story, 18’ x 54’ red brick ell erected adjoining its east elevation; a one-story, 80’ x 108’ wood-frame addition built adjoining the south elevation of the original factory; a one-story, 44’ x 35’ red brick block erected south side of the latter addition; and a two-story 46’ x 76’ wood-frame block built at the southern end of the plant. The additions have a mix of double-hung and casement windows and gabled and shed roofs. The 80’ x 108’ block is particularly notable for the clerestory monitor that runs along the center of the northern half of the building’s roof. A one-story storage shed comprised of two adjoining wood-frame blocks is located roughly 48’ northwest of the factory. The blocks measure roughly 20’ x 60’ and 22’ x 34’ and have an L-shaped footprint. They have vertical board siding, six-over-six double-hung windows, and gable roofs.

Exterior Material(s)

• Brick
• Wood

Structural System(s)

• Load Bearing Masonry
• Wood Frame

Roof Form

• Gable
• Monitor
• Shed

Roof Material

• Asphalt

Power Source

• Electricity
• Water (Turbine)

Condition

Fair

Condition Notes

The complex is in fair condition. Although some areas of the exterior wall cladding are in need of maintenance the mill appears to be well maintained overall.

Specific Location

One legal parcel (24 Hawkins Road) totaling 8.0 acres located at the western terminus of Hawkins Road and along the eastern bank of the Pomperaug River.

Adjacent To

• Water (for Power)

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link

• 18/92/16 / Link →

Acreage

8.0

Use (Present)

• Vacant

Form Completed By

Lucas A. Karmazinas

Date

08/04/2015

Bibliography

1. List of Connecticut Manufacturers, 1922, 1924, 1930, 1932.
2. Directory of Connecticut State Manufacturers, 1936, 1939.
3. Industrial Directory of Connecticut, 1947.
4. Register of War Production Facilities in Connecticut, 1951.
5. Map of New Haven County; Clark, Richard, 1859.
6. Atlas of New Haven County, Beers, Ellis & Soule, 1868.
7. Aerial Survey of Connecticut, 1934, 1965.
8. Hardware Dealers Magazine, 1899.
9. Saga of Pomperaug Plantation; Southbury Tercentennial Committee, 1973.
10. Southbury; Palmer-Skok, Virginia, 2003.