In 1801 at the age of 65, Paul Revere in a typical entrepreneurial spirit began to look for a suitable site to begin a small copper rolling mill. Revere was convinced that the fledgling nation needed to have access to industrial strength and technology that would grow our military and corporate presence in the world.
During the American Revolution, Revere had consulted closely with the military leaders and had advised them as to the means and methods of producing gunpowder. In Canton, just 14 miles from Boston was a small powder mill that Revere was undoubtedly familiar with. Many years would pass, but Revere recalled the superb water power of the Neponset River and chose the former powder mill as a site for a copper rolling mill.
On this historic site was a wood frame house built in 1717 for "an honest miller", the townspeople seeking a person of impeccable character to mill their corn. Almost 85 years later, this simple house was the house that Revere would call "Canton Dale". Placing his entire fortune on the line, Revere borrowed money by signing a note with the U.S. Government. If he failed, the entire fortune of his life of work would be lost.
By
the time Paul Revere had become familiar with this place it would be
1776 during the American Revolution. Revere was acquainted with Major
Crane who had been powder-master during the Revolution, and Paul Revere
had purchased powder from Crane while he was in command of Castle
Island in Boston. In fact, Crane shows up on Paul Revere's books as a
Superintendent of Revere's copperworks. (Peter Crane, Margaret Fuller's
grandfather also had business arrangements with Paul Revere). During
the first three years of the Revolution no other mill provided more
powder to the provincial army. It was Crane's Powder Mill that provided
ammunition that for the schooner "Langdon", the frigate "Boston" and in
1777, to "the Castle" into the hands of Paul Revere. The mill was blown to atoms on October 30, 1779 and Benjamin Pettingill died as a result of severe burns.
And
so on March 14th, 1801, Colonel Paul Revere purchased the land, this
house, a trip-hammer shop or slitting mill, and the "cole" house
starting the first industrial copper rolling mill in America. The price
was $6000.00 and Revere immediately
sent to Maidstone, England for his rolls that would be of such
perfection that his mill would be the finest for years to come. Risking
his personal fortune of $25,000 with a personal loan of $10,000 from
the U.S. Government Revere sought contracts that would assure him
success.
In England, Revere found the rollers that would be used in the most famous mill in the newly minted United States.
Today, what remains of the historic mill is two buildings constructed for the Revere & Sons Copper Company. The buildings are threatened with demolition at the hands of Napleton Acquisitions, a Chicago-based land speculation company. Plans to build "Revere Commons " - 650 luxury condominiums and 20,000 sf of retail space on the site could destroy the final remnants of this historic mill. Prior to construction, the Town of Canton will have to vote to re-zone the parcel for residential use.
While the Napleton Company has reached a temporary accord with the Canton Historical Commission, solidifying this agreement will be in the hands of the people of Canton at the Annual Town Meeting. Final plans must respect and integrate the buildings into the Zoning. As of February 2008, the Napleton Company is linking saving the buildings as part of a Mitigation Offer, which has yet to have a Memorandum of Agreement or a Covenant attached to it.