Whitman

David Hickey

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2003
• Print ISBN: 9780738512167
• eBook ISBN: 9781439628751
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

Most commonly known as the home of the world-famous Toll House cookie, Whitman has a rich history that goes well beyond the cookie jar. Centrally located between Boston and Cape Cod, the town played a significant role in the formative years of the country. Early industries included various mills, foundries, and tack factories; later industry was defined by prosperous shoe manufacturing, as Whitman was home to many of the country's largest shoe factories. Whitman takes the reader on a trolley ride through the quaint center, which still evokes that small-town feeling, and the town park, which was designed by legendary architect Frederick L. Olmstead. Through more than two hundred photographs, this nostalgic tour shows the schools, churches, commerce, and the lives of Whitman residents, all of which bring back memories of a simpler time.

Three

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

WHAT’S FOR LUNCH? In this c. 1920s street scene of Marble Street from South Avenue, workers from the Commonwealth Shoe and Leather Company hit the streets as they take a well-deserved lunch break.

INSIDE THE ATWOOD BROTHERS PLANT, 1906. Located on Pond Street, the Atwood Brothers plant made wooden boxes and shoe racks. The Atwood Brothers made wooden boxes of every size, shape, and description. One of their specialties was a shoe rack with Victor ball casters that did not clog while being wheeled around the old factories.

THE ATWOOD BROTHERS PLANT. The factory was operated so well that it recycled the wooden shavings to fuel the furnace sufficiently to provide all necessary steam for the entire plant. The factory still stands and is the home to a variety of businesses today.

HOLBROOK & KEENE. The largest cutter of calfskins for shoe vamps in the country, the Holbrook & Keene Company, which was located on Washington Street, provided material to some of the finest shoemakers in the industry.

THE UNITED STATES SHOE COMPANY. Located on South Avenue between Hobart Square and Brigham Street, the United States Shoe Company operated in an enlarged building originally used for other manufacturing purposes. The company manufactured men’s shoes for the New York and Western trade.

THE HOBART MILL SITE. Located at the corner of South Avenue and Pleasant Street, the Hobart Mill produced the wale planks for the frigate U.S.S. Constitution. Originally powered by water, owner Col. Aaron Hobart erected a “big chimney” on this site in 1859 to serve as an exhaust for the state-of-the-art steam power.

THE OLD COLONY BOOT & SHOE COMPANY. Managed by Miller Cook Jr., the Old Colony Boot & Shoe Company was one of the earliest shoe companies on the South Shore. From their Whitman Avenue location, they manufactured medium- to high-grade men’s boots and shoes. Although the company sold directly to retailers, the bulk of their product was sold by a New York distributor.

THE WHITMAN PAPER BOX COMPANY. As a manufacturer of paper boxes, this plant was located at the corner of South Avenue and Pleasant Street. Making mostly shoeboxes, their trade was mostly with local shoe manufacturers. The plant was capable of producing thousands of boxes daily.

THE WHITMAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY. Located on South Avenue, the Whitman Manufacturing Company plant still stands to this day. Built on roughly four acres in the east end of town, two separate steam plants were required to operate the huge structure. The main building offered over ...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• One - WHITMAN CENTER
• Two - WHITMAN TOWN PARK
• Three - BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
• Four - PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND CIVIL SERVANTS
• Five - SCHOOLS
• Six - HOUSES OF WORSHIP
• Seven - SPORTS AND RECREATION
• Eight - HISTORICAL MANSIONS AND HOUSES
• Nine - EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS
• Ten - TOWNSFOLK