Hayward Mill
Why it's listed
Hayward Mill is a group of brick woolen mill buildings on North Street in Douglas, Massachusetts, set in a bend of the Mumford River beside a dam and mill pond that once supplied water power. The earliest section dates to 1880-1881, built on the site of a mill lost to fire in 1880. Later additions came by 1898, then in about 1922, 1927 and 1946, some designed by Charles T. Main, Engineers and Cole and Kimball, Engineers. The complex includes Mill No. 2 with Classical Revival brickwork, an Italianate office building, a boiler house and a dye house. The mill is significant for its role in the woolen industry of Douglas and the Blackstone River Valley, and for showing how a textile plant grew and adapted from the 1880s to the 1940s. It operated under the Hayward and Schuster families and was designated a War Industry in 1942. The site also has archaeological potential.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 1880-1946 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Late Victorian/Italianate; Late 19th Century Revival/Classical Revival; Modern Movement/Moderne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry |
| Acreage | 8.5 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Hayward Mill (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.