Hatch Homestead and Mill Historic District

The Hatch Homestead and Mill Historic District is a historic district in Marshfield containing a Georgian colonial residence dating to the 1700s and a water-powered milling facility from the 1800s. Both structures sit near Union Street and reflect how work and home were integrated on rural properties of that era.

The original owner acquired the land in the middle of the 1600s and dammed a stream to power a milling operation. The buildings visible today date from later generations who expanded and refined the working property over time.

The family who lived here shaped the area through generations of milling work and established practices. Visitors can observe how the mill and residence together reveal the importance of such family enterprises in rural community development.

The milling facility welcomes visitors through scheduled tours, while the residence remains a private home and can be viewed from a public drive to the south. Plan to spend time exploring both buildings and the surrounding grounds to understand how the property operated as an integrated working estate.

The mill retains its original water-driven mechanism that transferred motion to a sawblade moving up and down to cut wood. This surviving piece of mechanical engineering offers a direct look at how water was harnessed to replace human labor in wood processing.

Location: Marshfield

GPS coordinates: 42.12250,-70.77000

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:40