New England Box Co.

This is kind of a neat looking industrial complex that would look good on any New England layout. It might even make a great kit project for South River Modelworks.

I had this postcard view to use in an upcoming post when I found it used on the NEB&W Facebook page. They had just covered box making companies including this particular view. The New England Box Co. was located at Baldwinsville, Mass. It appears they made wood boxes and other wooden containers. John notes on the NEB&W site the company was founded in 1889 as the result of merging  a group of plants, including Ansel Dickinson Sons Co. of Greenfield, MA, Winchester Box Co. of Baldwinsville and the National Box & Lumber Co of Orange, MA. They grew to a company which had 14 plants in MA, NH, and VT. They made boxes, crates, tubs, and pails.

Some additional interesting information found on the web indicates one of the fourteen mills is reserved for rush orders, and ordinarily provides 24-hour service on carload lots. The mill location is not mentioned. This foresight of the management enabled it to provide Jell-O, one of its customers, with an increase of from six to seventeen carloads of containers a week on one week's notice. A 24-hour service for the manufacture of samples is regularly maintained. Modern dry-kilns are operated at three separate plants, and at all fourteen mills there is a large lumber supply in the yards at all times.

High-speed, self-feeding presses for printing on wood, either in black or in colour such as is printed on paper was available in each mill...George Dutka

These two wooden boxes I photographed at Basketville in Putney, Vt. They are displayed in the second floor rafters along with many others. Although none of the boxes note were they are made, many are from New England leading me to believe some were made by the New England Box Co.