Berkshie Mill No. 1
Why it's listed
Built in 1889 at the corner of Hoosac and Columbia Streets in Adams, Berkshire Mill #1 is a red brick textile mill of three and one-half stories, set on a granite plinth with granite trim. A four-and-one-half-story entry tower carries a date plaque, arched wall panels, corbelled cornices and a high hip roof, and it holds the mill's only architectural ornament. Engine and boiler houses were added at the northeast corner before 1914. The mill was built by the Berkshire Cotton Manufacturing Company, formed by sons of William B. Plunkett after a fire destroyed an earlier paper mill on the site. It aimed at fine cotton goods rather than coarse cloth. The company grew quickly, added more mills nearby, and by 1905 employed about 2,000 of the town's 4,000 workers. Later demolition of Mills 2 and 3 left Mill #1 much as it stood in 1889, with its corner site and railroad-side setting intact.
Significance in brief: The mill is tied to the rapid growth of Adams after the Berkshire Cotton Manufacturing Company successfully introduced fine cotton manufacturing in the late 1880s. The company became the town's largest industry. The mill also keeps its integrity of location, design, materials and workmanship, and is the surviving original mill of the Hoosac Street group.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82004946, listed April 1, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Hoosac St., Adams |
|---|---|
| County | Berkshire County |
| Listed | April 1, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004946 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1889; boiler room 1904, 1914 (specific dates given) |
| Architect / builder | F.P. Sheldon & Son |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in good condition. The main building is largely original apart from a replaced front door and some temporarily blocked windows. Mills 2 and 3 have been demolished. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.62496, -73.11847 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82004946.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4892278
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.