Ashley and Bailey Silk Mill
Why it's listed
A three-story brick silk mill built in 1897 at the corner of North Pine and East Walnut Streets in Marietta. The building rests on a rough limestone foundation and has load-bearing brick walls laid in common bond, with thirteen regularly spaced bays along its long side, each holding two windows per floor under segmental brick arches. Original 15/15 light wooden sash remain in most openings. A brick tower at the North Pine Street corner rises slightly above the main block, and a one-story wing with wide doorways forms part of the original plan. Trustees purchased the lots in March 1897, and the Ashley and Bailey Company of Paterson, New Jersey rented and later bought the mill in 1908. It operated as a silk mill until the 1930s, and later served various industrial uses. It is regarded as one of the most intact examples of late 19th century industrial building in the Marietta-Columbia area, and an important record of the county's silk industry, which employed large numbers of workers from the 1890s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is a fine and largely intact example of late 19th century industrial architecture and one of the most intact industrial buildings of its period in the greater Marietta-Columbia area. It also argues the building is an important monument to Lancaster County's silk industry, which was once a major local employer and has largely disappeared through demolition and alteration of other mills.
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 80003533, listed June 27, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E. Walnut and Pine Sts., Marietta |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | June 27, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003533 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1897-1936 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Largely intact with minor later additions on one side, including a small brick addition and a concrete block addition. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Within district | Marietta Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 40.05934, -76.54712 (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 80003533.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4805649
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.