WALTHAM / INDUSTRIAL HISTORY
Boston Manufacturing Company
A new chapter in the making of cloth.
Founded in Waltham in 1813, the Boston Manufacturing Company brought the stages of cotton-cloth production together within one mill. Its workforce included young women recruited from New England farms, with boarding houses forming part of the employment system. Harvard's Baker Library preserves company records that document its business and workers.
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Welcome to Waltham Through Time.
Founded in Waltham in 1813, the Boston Manufacturing Company brought the stages of cotton-cloth production together within one mill.
Its workforce included young women recruited from New England farms, with boarding houses forming part of the employment system.
Today, Harvard’s Baker Library preserves company records that document its business and workers.
Discover the stories behind the buildings. Walk curious.
View historical sources
Summary based on Harvard Business School's Baker Library collection description. Company founding date is not a construction date for every surviving building.
Baker Library: Boston Manufacturing Company Records ↗Reviewed October 22, 2026. Artwork is illustrative. Archival and present-day photographs still need to be selected and cleared for use.