Essex Company Machine Shop
Why it's listed
Built in 1846-48 on Union Street in Lawrence, this three-story ashlar fieldstone building began as the Essex Company's machine shop, making tools, mill machinery, water turbines and millwork for the new textile factories. Its ochre stone walls, steep roof, outside stair towers, wide friezes, quoins and unusual globe-patterned circular gable windows set it apart from other mills of its era. Later, the Lawrence Machine Shop Company added steam locomotives, and the shop is credited with the invention and perfection of the Hoadley portable steam engine, the McKay sewing machine and the first steam fire engine. After the 1857 depression it was sold to the Everett Mills Corporation and used for textile production until 1929. It is now overshadowed by the large Everett mill of 1909-1910 but remains almost unaltered, preserving a rare example of early industrial architecture in the Merrimack Valley, and it now accommodates small industries.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the finest pre-Civil War industrial buildings in New England and one of the few surviving stone mill buildings in the Merrimack Valley. It is one of the two oldest mills in Lawrence and remains practically unaltered. Inventions and training of mechanical engineers associated with the shop add to its importance.
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 72000138, listed November 9, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Union St., Lawrence |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | November 9, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000138 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1846-48 |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Engineering, Architecture, Invention |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and unaltered on its original site; it currently houses a variety of small industries. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Mechanics Block Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.70953, -71.15423 (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 72000138.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5399669
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.