Cottage Street Past + Present

The mill building at One Cottage Street was built in 1859 and produced batten, twine, and elastic thread, powered by a dam at the mouth of Nashawannuck Pond.

In 1976, the same textile giant, J.P. Stevens Co. donated the building to Riverside Industries for $1.00. to found the highly regarded and beloved agency it is today. Riverside Industries is an agency that empowers people with developmental disabilities to pursue meaningful employment and fulfilling lives.

To subsidize the ongoing costs of restoring and maintaining the five story, sprawling mill building, they opened their doors to tenants. In 1976, One Cottage Street was the first converted mill building in western MA to foster a creative community. Each space offered wonderful large windows which let in an abundance of inspiring light, high ceilings, and access to a loading dock with an elevator. A perfect spot for artists looking for affordable studio space! Additionally, it offered a supportive social working environment and cooperative efforts for over 80 artists and makers. This line up included their original anchor tenant, The New England School of Architectural Woodworking whose graduates are internationally known fine woodworkers that contribute to our vibrant community today.

In 1986, five of the building’s tenants grouped together to create a “Holiday Seconds Sale”. They hung 100 fliers around Easthampton, placed an ad in the local paper, and displayed their wares in one small area of the mill. But this was no ordinary group of artisans; each had national reputations and sold their works at galleries across the country. The original five Holiday Seconds Sale artisans were sculptor Denise Herzog, fine lighting designer Janna Ugone, glass artist Lynn Latimer, White Dog Pottery, and Kaleidoscope Pottery.

By the early 1990’s the Holiday Seconds Sale was attracting thousands of people. More craftspeople become involved and lines of customers looking for good bargains would form outside the building and around the block. The event became so successful that the artists and craftspeople decided to open their studios to accommodate the crowds. Opening the studios was a huge benefit to customers who were now able to see where the artists worked, the tools and equipment used, and even works in progress.

Today, Cottage Street Open Studios is known far and wide, attracting art lover’s from all over the United States.