Wakefield Rattan Company
History
In 1868, Cyrus Wakefield donated a new town hall to South Reading, which renamed itself Wakefield in his honor. He was also a major benefactor and investor in the town.
When Wakefield died in 1873, his company employed 1,000 workers at an 11 acres (4.5 ha) site just outside the town center. In the 1890s, the company merged with Heywood Brothers, becoming the Heywood-Wakefield Company. The manufacturing facilities were updated after several fires did significant damage to the plant.
By 1930, the company's business had declined, and its facilities were redeveloped for other uses. In 1972, a fire destroyed all but four buildings. In 1989, those buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2005, they were demolished and replaced by a supermarket.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Wakefield, Massachusetts
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
- ^ "NRHP nomination form". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2011-11-29.