During the Spanish American War, Philippine Islands, Cuba, and "Porto" Rico. Williston Mills, organized by Mr. Williston to produce cotton yarn, dissolved in 1892. It was succeeded by the Easthampton Spinning Company, which closed in 1899. In June 1899 the Spinning Company property was acquired by the West Boylston Mfg. Co. The building below the dam, constructed by Mr. Williston, was sold to the Hampton Company interests. Thus was laid the foundation for the extensive operations of both companies, which are no longer in business but have left facilities used or usable by others.
With the relocation of his button business to Easthampton Sam Williston ushered in extraordinary growth and jobs for residents, individuals from area communities, and ultimately for immigrants. For much of his business he worked in conjunction with Horatio..G. Knight. The original 1847 button factory still stands. The following year Williston diversified by constructing a suspender factory, called the Nashawannuck Manufacturing Company. In order to cut down on the costs of procuring the materials for the suspenders, he initiated in 1859 the construction of the Williston Mills to provide cotton yarn, and the first elastic web company in the United states.
He improved the manufacturing process more by relocating the web company beside the Nashawannuck Company, decreasing travel time in essence having an assembly line type operation, with materials and finished product in the immediate vicinity.
Since then those mill buildings have housed such diverse interests as the production of cotton for Henry Ford’s automobile tires and Stanley Home Products or more recently Grease Car’s manufacturing facility, where kits that allow cars to run on used vegetable oil are made.
Currently they are residence to the likes of (but not limited to) Riverside Industries and Cottage Street Studios as well as Eastworks where many businesses and independent artists reside.
The three major companies in
Easthampton at that time,
the Glendale' Company, Williston Mills, and the Nashawannuck Company
All of this business resulted
in the need for more workers,
housing, and streets. New City is the direct result of this need.
All of this manufacturing required water power, so by the late 1840's or 1850's he had damned up the Broad Brook,
thus creating Upper Mills Pond
and Lower Mills Pond.
