Charles R. Field

As nearly as can be determined this business was started by Richard E. Field who was once a maker of stage coaches, possibly located either at the corner of Ames and School streets or in the old Birge chair shop on Federal St. In 1857 his son Charles R. Field purchased land on the east side of Union St. where he built a factory for the business of making baby carriages. Wood work was done by the Greenfield Tool Co. on Arch Street . Henry Warner was at this time making nickeled parts and Charles Field assembled the whole in to finished product. The carriages were of the wooden slat perambulator pattern and Field was one of the first to market them. In fact this may have been the first baby carriages made in the U.S., baby carriages at that time were imported from England. About 1875 this style was superseded by the rattan and reed styles. In 1885 after the failure of the Greenfield Co-op cutlery which was located on Power Square, the Field plant moved to that location and at their peak produced 9000 carriages a year. The building still exists in 2022 and houses the Textile Company whole-salers of various textile products. In 1930 the company was making wooden parts for Doll Carriages and go-carts. Unfortunately the museum has yet to located any of these carriages and no photos seem to exist.

Source information -

Greenfield History 1900-1929 - Kellog

Conservative Rebel- Jenkins 1982