J. A. Smith Mfg. Co. | Making Places

Mill Record Deep River

Disclaimer: Content for these properties was compiled in 2014-2017 from a variety of sources and is subject to change. Updates are occasionally made under Property Information, however the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation (dba Preservation Connecticut) makes no representation or warranty that the information is complete or up-to-date.

Complex Name (Common)

J. A. Smith Mfg. Co.

Complex Name (Historic)

J. A. Smith Mfg. Co.

Address or Location

161 River Street, Deep River

County

Middlesex

Historic Designation

Candidate for State Register Listing

Associated Mill Community

n/a

Bird’s-eye aerial image of J.A. Smith Mfg. Co., camera facing west; accessed from Bing.com 2015.

What can you do at this mill?

Historic Information

Companies Associated w/Complex

Arthur Smith Co. Inc./Deep River Lace 1937-1990
J. A. Smith Mfg. Co. 1875-1885
Messerschmidt Co. c.1925
Potter and Snell 1885-1925

Use (Historic)

Largest Documented Workforce

50 (1925)

Historic Narrative

J. A. Smith and Co. built the factory in 1875 and manufactured crochet needles, button hooks, wire and metal novelties, and employed about 30 men. In 1885, Smith sold to Potter and Snell, which continued to make the same products and operated through 1925, employing about 50 people. Messerschmidt Co. occupied the building for a few years thereafter, and in 1937, Arthur Smith moved his lace business to the site (Arthur Smith Co. Inc., Deep River Lace Factory). Lace was made on British Leaver lace machines until 1990; each machine weighed 16 tons, was about 9 ft tall, and had 4,600 bobbins.

Architectural Information

Number of Existing Buildings

Three (3) blocks.

Dates of Construction

1875, c.1885, c.1910

Architect

n/a

Builder

n/a

Building Type

Mill

Architectural Description

The original 1875 structure is three-story wood frame, with brick ground level and gable roof. The brick boiler house to the east was built c.1885, and the one-story brick machine shop and connecting block to the west were built c.1910; both have shallow gable roofs.