Old Schwamb Mill, Historic mill site in Arlington, Massachusetts, United States.
The Old Schwamb Mill is a three-story U-shaped building with wooden siding and multiple sections featuring both flat and pitched roofs. Inside, original equipment including elliptical lathes and pulley systems once powered the production of picture frames.
Charles and Frederick Schwamb acquired the mill in 1864 and converted it into a picture frame factory that operated until 1969. This shift turned the site into a major production center for quality frames throughout more than a century.
The machinery inside shows how craftspeople worked with their hands and tools across many generations. Walking through the rooms, you can see how the spinning lathes and belt systems were connected to create picture frames in a careful, step-by-step process.
The site opens on specific days of the week, so check current hours before planning your visit. Located near a river with pedestrian access, some areas inside require climbing stairs to explore the different floors.
The site sits on a mill location where operations have continued since 1684, making it one of the oldest continuously operating industrial sites in the country. This long history lets visitors trace how technology and work methods evolved across multiple centuries.
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