Monument Mills
Also known as: Monument Mills Cotton Company-Mills #1, 2, & 3
Why it's listed
Monument Mills is a cotton mill complex of about 11 interconnected brick buildings in the village of Housatonic, in Great Barrington. It sits on both banks of the Housatonic River, with the No. 1 Mill upstream and the Wawbeck Mill (No. 2) downstream. Textile work on the site began in the 1820s, and the company was incorporated in 1851. Buildings were added almost every year between 1881 and 1917, including the 1892 main mill, a 1918 dye house and a 1917 power house. The mills became known for jacquard Marseilles bedspreads, helped by rail access to regional markets. Superintendent Theodore Ramsdell worked with electrical pioneer William Stanley to supply electric power to the mills, linking the complex to early high-voltage transmission. The mills closed in 1955, when about 450 jobs were lost. Some ancillary buildings have been lost, but the complex retains its overall character and reflects changing mill technology and design.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the complex is an important local example of a large late 19th-century textile mill that shows technological and architectural change from the mid-19th to early 20th century. It produced nationally known jacquard Marseilles bedspreads, grew with the arrival of the railroad, and was led by notable engineering and business figures. It is also closely tied to the Glendale Power House, site of the first high-voltage electric transmission in the world.
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 83003927, listed November 29, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Park and Front Sts., Great Barrington |
|---|---|
| County | Berkshire County |
| Listed | November 29, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003927 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1851-1917 |
| Architect / builder | Agents and managers: John M. Seeley (1854-1886), Theodore G. Ramsdell (1886-1903), T. Ellis Ramsdell (1903-1948) |
| Architectural style | Utilitarian industrial design; brick construction with interest focused on cornice lines and towers |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Engineering, Architecture, Invention |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Lower mills have begun to recover from a long period of neglect under new owners; the upper mills remain vacant, with restoration plans underway. The Picker House collapsed in 1982. |
| Acreage | 13.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.25567, -73.36329 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83003927.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715718
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.