Historic Mills of Connecticut

Companies Associated w/Complex

• Union Launderers & Cleaners, Inc. 1952-ca. 1968
• Union Laundry Co. 1911-1952

Use (Historic)

• Apparel & Accessories

Largest Documented Workforce

50 to 99 (1939)

Historic Narrative

The Union Laundry Company was established in 1902 after Joseph S. Bennett purchased the Ward City Laundry Company from Velora H. Ward. Bennett, a German-born immigrant who arrived in the United States in 1888 at the age of 17, relocated to New Britain from Laconia, New Hampshire after purchasing the firm, which continued to operate at its original location of 86 Arch Street until a new building was erected at 266 Arch Street in 1911. Joseph Bennett served as president of the firm, while his partner, Herbert N. Clay, performed the duties of treasurer and secretary. The Union Laundry Company dealt in all manners of the laundry business, ranging from clothes washing to carpet cleaning. In addition to standard washing methods, the firm also employed both steam and dry cleaning processes. Clay continued to participate in these operations until 1907, whereupon he relocated to Bath, Maine, while Bennett remained associated with the company until his death in 1916. Control of the firm then passed to Ossian S. Bennett, Joseph’s son, who served as president and treasurer alongside his mother, Mabel, who held the role of vice president. The Bennett family continued to manage the Union Laundry Company until 1952 when Ossian Bennett retired. During the early 1950s the plant was also occupied by the New Britain Shirt Manufacturing Company, which rented space on the second floor. After Ossian Bennett’s retirement, the Union Laundry Company was acquired by Anthel Coppess, former vice president of the Buffalo Laundries Corporation of Buffalo, New York. Coppess relocated to New Britain to manage the company, which he renamed Union Launderers and Cleaners, Inc. Coppess led the firm until his death in 1962, at which time it was sold to a family by the name of Edwards. Jesse C. Edwards operated the company along with the aid of his wife, Hope, and their son, Jesse. C. Edwards Jr., until ca. 1968. Laundry-related activities ceased at that time and the building has subsequently been occupied by a variety of commercial tenants since the late 1960s.

Number of Existing Buildings

Four (4) blocks.

Dates of Construction

1911

Architect

n/a

Builder

n/a

Building Type

• Mill

Architectural Description

The former Union Laundry Company plant is comprised of one primary building with three adjoining secondary blocks and one associated freestanding garage, these located on the east side of Arch Street opposite Grand Street. The buildings were erected in 1911 and the exteriors have seen few changes since that time. The primary block is a two-story, 40’ x 160’ red brick block with a Colonial Revival style buff brick façade and a low-pitch gable roof. The building is five bays wide and its symmetrical façade has a full-width storefront on the first floor and five evenly spaced window openings on the second. The second-story window openings have concrete sills and segmental-arched buff brick lintels with concrete keystones. Simple metal cornices span the first and second stories and a denticulated metal cornice with a bracketed pediment at its center runs along the roofline just below a buff brick parapet. An embossed metal frieze panel in the parapet reads, “19-Bennett-11”, indicating the date of the building’s construction and the surname of its original owner. The side and rear portions of the block are characterized by segmental-arched window openings with concrete sills, and plain brick cornices running along the various rooflines. The windows throughout the building have been boarded up, obscuring whether or not the original sash remains. Three secondary flat-roofed red brick blocks and a 65’ red brick chimney are located at the eastern (rear) end of the primary block. The chimney and a one-story, 30’ x 14’ block are located on the south side of the building, while a two-story, 30’ x 40’, and a one-story 20’ x 40’ block abut the building’s east elevation. These are similar in their detailing to the red brick portions of the main building and appear to be in the same condition. A one-story, 27’ x 42’ red brick garage with a front-gabled roof is located roughly 25’ south of the plant. The garage has a one-bay opening on its north elevation and a small ell on its west side.

Exterior Material(s)

• Brick

Structural System(s)

• Load Bearing Masonry

Roof Form

• Flat
• Gable

Roof Material

• Asphalt

Power Source

• Electricity

Condition

Fair

Condition Notes

The factory is in fair condition. The majority of the exterior walls appear to be in fair condition, however, there is some staining and deterioration visible, particularly throughout the red brick portions of the building. The ground-floor storefront and all of the original windows have been boarded up and it is unclear if the original sash remains. The metal cornices on the façade are in particular need of paint and repairs.

Specific Location

One 0.59-acre parcel (266 Arch Street) on the east side of Arch Street opposite Grand Street.

Adjacent To

• Main Roads

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link

• C8C/ 103 / Link →

Acreage

0.59

Use (Present)

• Other: 2020 purchase by Spencer Tracy for redev as 20-30 apartment units
• Vacant

Form Completed By

Lucas A. Karmazinas

Date

02/05/2015

Bibliography

1. List of Connecticut Manufacturers, 1922, 1924, 1930, 1932.
2. Directory of Connecticut State Manufacturers, 1936, 1939.
3. Map of Hartford County, H & C.T. Smith, 1855.
4. Atlas of Hartford County, Beers, Baker & Tilden, 1869.
5. Industrial Directory of Connecticut, 1947.
6. Register of War Production Facilities in Connecticut, 1951.
7. Sanborn Map Company, 1884, 1890, 1895, 1909, 1950, 1954.
8. Aerial Survey of Connecticut, 1934, 1965.
9. Birdseye View of New Britain, 1875.
10. New Britain City Directory, 1860-1960.
11. Hartford Courant, 1905, 1962, 1963, 1979.
12. History of New Britain, With Sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Camp, David, N., 1889.