History

Hatters Point has a long and distinguished history that parallels the recent history of our nation. The buildings that comprise Hatters Point were built by The Bailey Company and the Merrimac Hat Company at various times between 1876 and 1939. The factory manufactured felt hats during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant, whose trademark was a wool slouch hat. The factory was alive and well through the Great Depression and continued manufacturing hats for men and women, some adorned with the feathers of exotic birds. As World War II began, women worked at the factory as the men went off to war. They manufactured raincoats, sleeping bags and mosquito nets for the American troops. After the war, the factory found it increasingly difficult to maintain a steady flow of business. Several companies tried to keep it open, but none succeeded and the historic factory buildings fell into disrepair.

In the 1990's Amesburyport Corporation set its sights on the 150,000 square foot complex with the ambitious goal of restoring the buildings' dignity and charm. The developer successfully completed the time intensive and exhaustive permitting process and work began in August of 2000.

Historical integrity is of key importance to the developer and is an integral part of the development's design. Local historical commissions were consulted regularly during the permitting process and painstaking efforts were made to preserve and enhance the original grandeur of the buildings in the final design. New windows were commissioned that replicate the original factory windows. Some of the brick that was removed from the site has been refurbished and recycled into the new buildings. The result is the handsome restoration of these venerable buildings in keeping with their listing on the Massachusetts Register of Historic Places. The developer has even left each building with its original number. The four buildings being restored in Phase 1 are referred to as Buildings 9,8,7 and 6, their original mill identification.

Not only is the hat factory historic, its' surroundings are as well. The town of Amesbury was the home of the great 19th century poet John Greenleaf Whittier and the carriage trade center of the world. Over one hundred companies produced two dozen of the most popular horse-drawn carriage styles of the time. The city of Newburyport, just two miles down river, was once the producer of the largest clipper ship fleets in the country. And while visiting Newburyport shortly after his inauguration, President George Washington commissioned the United States Coast Guard.