{"nrhp_refnum":"82004467","name":"Knowlton Hat Factory","other_names":["Kartiganer Hat Factory"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"134 Main St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Upton","county":"Worcester County","state":"MA","lat":42.16990212050004,"lon":-71.62395915085145,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1982-06-01","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Industry","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A complex of six brick industrial buildings at 134 Main Street in the village of West Upton, Upton, Massachusetts, on a 5.21-acre sloping site. It was built in two main phases, in 1872 and 1908, and was founded as a straw hat manufactory by William Knowlton.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the factory is significant for its role in the growth of local manufacturing, its link to William Knowlton as a prominent manufacturer and community developer, and as an example of late 19th and early 20th century industrial architecture. It was the major employer in West Upton for decades. The complex is also said to retain integrity of location, design, setting and materials.","narrative":"Brick mill buildings along Main Street in West Upton make up the former Knowlton Hat Factory, a six-structure complex on 5.21 acres. Most of it dates from two building campaigns: the 1872 street-front sections with slate mansard roofs, segmental-arch windows and Queen Anne-style dormers, and 1908 rear additions that include a small community center. William Knowlton began making hats in Upton in 1835 and moved to West Upton around 1838-39. Machinery arrived in 1850, and production peaked from the 1870s through the 1890s, when about 800 people worked there. By the mid-20th century it was described as the world's largest maker of straw hats. Knowlton also built workers' housing, a school, store, church, hotel, fire department and water supply. A railroad was built to the town to serve the industry. Hat production ended in 1972. At the time of listing, the buildings were being converted to rental housing, and the complex was recognized for its industrial, economic and architectural importance.","period_of_significance":"1872, 1908 (specific dates; 1800-1899 period checked)","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Industrial architecture with Queen Anne-style details (dormers, entrance hood) and mansard roofs","criteria":["A","B","C"],"status_note":"Under renovation for use as rental housing units at the time of nomination; alterations included replacement of sash, a new doorway on Building B, a glass-enclosed walkway between Buildings A and B, and exterior brick cleaning.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:11:53.720869-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/26/7974/63797426/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/82004467.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/82004467/7c104806cd-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/82004467/7c104806cd-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger)","credit_html":"Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Knowlton_Hat_Factory.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63797426","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowlton_Hat_Factory","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6423439"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/worcester-county/knowlton-hat-factory-82004467/"}