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FORM B - BUII;DING In Area no. Form no.

IYiASSACHUSE'l'TS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 118

Marlborough

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55 Howland
T.A. Coolidge
Light factory
Street
Shoe Co.

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warehous .
Wayside Industries

1873
Wayside Industries

Factory
4. 11ap. Draw sketch of building location Architect
in relation to nearest cross streets and ----------------
other buildings. Indicate north. Exteri or wall fahric_ h__l_' n_g·l_e~
s•.•. _

Outbuildings (describe) _
[]
Other features Post & beam constructio
Ll ::t
[]
el . i;
'0
t:-
o wooden frame.

t.; I1'(/
-J ~
.0
._--, -~----
Altered Date
--_._----- -------
Moved Date _

5. Lot size:

One acre or less ..2L-... Over one acre __

Approximate frontage 50'

l'tV Approximate distance of building from street

: -- -.._----- J 5 I

6. Recorded by ,j. Gibbons

Organization l<ar'lboro PJaLninc. ,;c::ct.!

Date .6.L2q/79

(over)

37!~~7-77
•
7. Original owner (if known)

Original use

subsequent uses (if any) and dates see below

8. Themes (check as many as applicable)

Aboriginal Conservation Recreation

Agricultural Education Religion
Architectural Exploration/ Science/
The Arts settlement invention
Commerce x Industry x Social!
Communication Military humanitarian
Community development x Political Transportation

9. Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above)

This building was constructed as a shoe factory in 1863. and

ori~inally owned by T.A. Coolidge. It was later purchased by
B. F. Corbin t: ~:;onsShoe Company, and was known as the Corbin
Diamond "1\" Factory at 55 Howland St.

The Ornstein Shoe Company occupied this location from the early
1930's to the beginning of World War II, manufacturing women's
shoes. 'This firm had moved to N;arlboroug)1 from La.wrence, Kass.
and employed 200-300 workers. In the late 1930's, a fire
damaged much of the factory and stock. The business went into
bankrupcy at the beginning of World War II.

During the late"1930's and 1940's, Wallace Nutting reproduced

furniture on a large scale basis here. His color prints of
coun~ry scenes are collector's items today. Between 1947-1957,
the building served as a chair factory. In 1957, it became a
storage facility and screw factory. By 1960, the building
was occupied by Dimension Craft Co .• manufacturers of space
suits for the moon walk. They also constructed models for the
NASA space agencies. From 1968-1970, the space explorations
came to a halt, as did Dimension Craft.
'I'h
e structure is currently owned by 'ivaysideIndustries. A large
section of the building is operating as an antique warehouse,
serving dealers and retail cust~mers.

10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records,
ear ly maps, etc.)

Interview: rv;anagerof vJayside Industries

Marlborough Pictorial: 1879 (Marlborough Public Library Archive '

On site inspection.

_;;0_, .;.' •.•• . ~.'.

 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Community Property

Marlborough T..A. Coolidge Shoe Co.

Massachusetts Historical Commission
80 Boylston Street Area(s) Form No.
Boston, Massachusetts 02116 C 118

Additional information by Anne Forbes, consultant to Marlborough Historical Commission, 3/31/94:

ASSESSOR'S # 69-318

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION, cont.

Since t.he 1979 inventory form was written, this factory has been radically altered to a multi-unit
residential building. Its general massing, proportions, and roof pitch remain, but the fenestration has
been entirely changed from the former 6-over-6-sash to a new arrangement of L-over-I 's and three-
story bay windows. The short one-story projection at the southwest corner has been removed, the
foundation has been parged, and the walls and any surviving trim elements have been covered with
vinyl siding.

Map evidence indicates that this property was once about twice as large, and initially included the large
double-house house next door at #49/51 Howland, where Mr. Coolidge himself lived for many years.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE, cont.

Timothy Coolidge, the son of a Natick shoemaker, came to Marlborough in 1857 and immediately
began manufacturing men's brogans and boots. According to Edward Alley, writing in Hurd's History
of Middlesex County, this building ws not constructed in 1873, but in 1877, after an 1876 fire destroyed
the former building. By 1889 several other buildings stood on the property, which included the house
just north at today's #61 Howland. In that year Timothy Coolidge also owned #58, across the street.
It is likely that all these houses, as well as others nearby, were rented to workers at his shoe factory.

In 1894 the Coolidge company was bought out by S.H. Howe, and it became the fourth Howe factory
operating in the West Village, the "Diamond A." B.A. Corbin & Sons acquired the Howe company
early in this century, but kept the Diamond A name for this factory. Before the Ornstein Shoe
Company came here in the 1930's, the building was occupied by the Loring B. Hall Co. and the
O'Keefe Shoe Co.

During the time that Wallace Nutting produced his reproduction furniture here, the business was
known as the Cook Chair factory; after that, the building was occupied by the c.P. Killian Company.

SEE ATfACHED PHOTOGRAPH (1994)

BIBLIOGRAPHY, cont.
Hurd, D. Hamilton. History of Middlesex County, Mass. 1890..
Maps and atlases: Beers, 1875: Bailey & Hazen, 1878; Walker, 1889; Sanborn maps.
Bigelow, Ella. Historical Reminiscences of the Early Times in Marlborough. 1910.
Marlborough Directories.

. ] Recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. If checked. a completed
National Register Criteria Statement form is attached.
INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Community Property

Marlborough T..A. Coolidge Shoe Co.

Massachusetts Historical Commission
80 Boylston Street Area(s) Form No.
Boston, Massachusetts 02116 C 118