Wood Worsted Mill
Why it's listed
Along the south bank of the Merrimack River in Lawrence, this brick mill stretches 1,300 feet and rises six stories. Built between 1906 and 1909 for the American Woolen Company and designed by the Boston firm Charles T. Main Company, it was planned to carry out every step of worsted manufacturing, from raw wool to finished cloth. The complex was once twice its present size; a parallel mill block and a dyehouse were demolished in 1956, and the powerhouse, coalsheds and half of the storehouse came down in 2009. What remains is the office section, Sections D, E and F, and part of the storehouse. The Romanesque Revival design features arcaded brick corbelling, granite sills and beltcourses, and large windows. The mill is significant for its link to the 1912 Great Lawrence Strike, known as the Bread and Roses Strike, and to mill leader William Madison Wood, and as a well-preserved example of its style and type in the city.
Significance in brief: The mill is cited under Criterion A for its association with the Great Lawrence Strike of 1912, with William Madison Wood and with the American Woolen Company. Under Criterion C it is a well-preserved Romanesque Revival woolen mill in Lawrence. Its significance is at the local level.
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 10000539, listed August 12, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S Union and Merrimack St, Lawrence |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | August 12, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000539 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1906-1955 |
| Architect / builder | Charles T. Main Company |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Community Planning and Development, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Section D is under construction as residential lofts; Sections E and F are vacant; the powerhouse, coalsheds and half of the storehouse were demolished in 2009. |
| Acreage | 20.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.70359, -71.14878 (NPS GIS) |
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).
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 10000539.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.