The Haunted Mill
Haunted Happenings?
Is Chester’s haunted? according to Jessica’s new BFF, Elizabeth Delgado (aka the event coordinator at Chester’s) it’s a real possibility. Elizabeth reports:
“The only time I ever REALLY got freaked out with the ghosts/ spirits in the mill was about 6 months ago. It was a weekday, early evening and I noticed I forgot my suitcase at work. My daughter goes to school across the bridge…and I really needed it, so I came back to work to pick up. I went to my office and my daughter ran to the piano in the back kitchen area of the hall to play it. She is always playing that piano! So I grabbed my case, walked into the hall and called out to my daughter ‘let’s go’. She ran towards me and I held her hand to walk out the door….when I heard the piano play a few notes on it’s own!!!!! I turned around to look at who was playing the piano and NO ONE was there!!!! I grabbed my daughter’s hand so tight and ran right out that door! Totally freaked me out!”
Mill tenants feel a spooky presence, orbs show up in photos, and birds have been known to meet suspicious and untimely demises. Open your mind, read the history, and on June 18th, decide for yourself. Chester’s at Bell Tower Square: Haunted or Hyped?
The History of Chester’s at Bell Tower Square (according to the internet)
Captain Oliver H. Perry built the three story Lawrence Woolen mill (better know as Perry’s mill) in 1863 and the following year the mill began producing woolens, cloakings, suitings, and shawls.
In 1886, the mills were purchased by George E. Kunhardt. Kunhardt extended the property, adding many more buildings and the Mill manufactured woolens, worsteds and uniform cloth for menswear.
In 1912, the mill as well as the entire city experienced the Lawrence Textile Strike. The wages and living standards of the textile workers in Lawrence had declined steadily since 1905 and the introduction of the two-loom system in the woolen mills and a speed-up in the cotton industry had resulted in lay-offs, unemployment, and a drop in wages. At the end of 1911, 22,000 textile employees, including foremen, supervisors, and office workers, averaged about $8.76 for 60 hours of work, despite the cost of living being higher in Lawrence than most of New England.
On January 1, 1912, a new Massachusetts law reduced the maximum number of hours of work per week for women and children to 54 hours. On January 11, workers discovered their employers had reduced their weekly pay to match the reduction in their hours. The Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) helped to lead the strike and within a week, more than 20,000 workers were picketing . The demands of the workers were a 15% increase in wages for a fifty-four-hour work week, double time for overtime work, and no discrimination against workers for their strike activity.
Police violence towards woman and children made national headlines and the federal government began to investigate the strike. The mill companies agreed to most the strikers’ demands on March 12, 1912. The strike ended after 10 weeks and the workers at the Kunhardt Mill (as well as the rest of Lawrence) returned to work.
George E. Kunhardt retired in 1932, and his sons managed the firm until bankruptcy during the Depression.
I guess the mill was abandoned and spooky for the next 63 years. Homeless people probably squatted there temporarily, but they were probably afraid of the ghosts and left almost immediately.
In 1993, the mill was purchased by Chet Sidell. Sidell restored the mill with such attention to detail, that Historic Massachusetts, Inc. presented them with the Charles W. Elliott II award for vision and excellence in community planning. The mill is currently a function hall and the home to many Lawrence businesses.
In 2010 Jessica and Doug discover the mill and fall in love with its spooky, historic charm. On June 18, 2011 you’ll be sure to fall in love with it too.
For more information,check these out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1912_Lawrence_Textile_Strike
http://www.lucyparsonsproject.org/iww/kornbluh_bread_roses.html
http://www.lawrencehistorycenter.org/node/283