The oldest parts of the Plume & Atwood Manufacturing Company‘s factory in Thomaston date to 1853. In that year, clockmaker Seth Thomas, who was unhappy buying brass for his clocks from companies in Waterbury, built his own brass mill on the Naugatuck River. In 1869 a new company was organized, Holmes, Booth & Atwood, which purchased the factory with the agreement that they would continue to supply brass for Seth Thomas clocks. The founders of the company had left the Waterbury firm of Holmes, Booth & Haydens and Hiram W. Hayden sued them over the fact that their new company’s name resembled the existing company’s name too closely. In 1871, the new group took the name Plume & Atwood–David Scott Plume was the company’s treasurer. The factory buildings were severely damaged in the 1955 flood. Since the late 1950s, other companies have utilized the old factory.
Most of this complex was demolished in 2013 after part of it collapsed due to neglect and the vibrations caused by a passing train. A few portions of the buildings that are still in operation remain standing.
I was present at the time of the collapse of much of the rolling mill roof. No train was operating at the time of the collapse.
A saw-toothed roofed portion of the complex had already been demolished and the collapse was toward that area, so I wonder if the demolished building had been helping to keep the rolling mill section standing.
As of late 2017, the future plans for the property are not known.
Anyone know if the Atwood of the factory was related to Charles Atwood? He died in 1856 of typhoid, but he had a factory in Middletown for a while that was called Atwood’s Factory for quite a while after he left. Not sure if this Atwood is related. Thanks
Andrew
I have an old vintage red glass oil lamp from here. Any idea what year it was made?