 Jones & Thompson Patent Planar – 1856 |
 Jones & Thompson Patent Planar – 1856 |
1850s Ambrotype Images Trigger a Great Discovery!
These pictures, and a short story, begins our hunt for the history! Come share our excitement, with what we discovered.
Lost Wiley & Russell cash ledger – Now viewable online!
We have just recovered part of a lost archive from one of the original tap & die makers, the Wiley & Russell Mfg. Co. It is Cash Ledger #7, and contains entries dated from November 1889 to September 1891. We found it in Ohio! It is a unique treasure which documents the people and companies who conducted business with W&R. View it now and discover the famous clients and customers of this pioneer machine thread tool maker.
Homefront Heros – featuring Leon Weeks
Restored Video: Homefront Heros!
Three interviews made with folks who worked the industrial home front during World War 2.
This is a narration, which includes:
1. Re-supplying the Allies with replacement parts
2. Manufacturing secret wartime technology
3. Women as mechanics and supervisors during the war
This video was restored from a earlier VHS tape and features our museum’s founder, Leon Weeks – Watch it now!
A new computer model and animation
Wiley & Russell Tap & Die – 1897 – A Virtual Reality Project
A historically accurate computer model and animation was made possible with the loan of a rare insurance map set. See the maps, enjoy the video, and learn how we present this new way to explore history!
Cheapside River Port after 1806
Stephen Maniatty – “Cheapside River Port” a new discovery
2014 provided us the opportunity to digitally photograph this important 126 square foot painting. The Deerfield River, and Cheapside Port, were critical to local commerce before the time of the railroad. Local artist, Stephen Maniatty, created this scene in the mid 1950s, and is a wonderful mix of historic lore and artistic license. Come view this rare scene now, and learn how we were able to reproduce it.
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From early mills dotting the rural landscape in the 18th century, to the hydro power dams and factories of the 19th century, to the tap and die industry of the 20th century, Franklin County has played a unique role in regional, national and world history.
Our collection of artifacts, archival material, and historic photos represents nearly all of Franklin County’s 26 towns and the neighboring town of Athol. The Museum of Our Industrial Heritage presents these tangible reminders of the past by focusing on the spirit of innovation that fueled each era—and explores how that same spirit might shape our future.