Chimney Work Underway

Published by Chris Wangler - June 19, 2020.

A project to repair and preserve the historic chimney at The Mill started last week.

Workers were spotted this week near the top of the 197 foot structure.

Although the chimney is still structurally sound, many of the bricks and the mortar holding them together have decayed over time and require repair or replacement.

The chimney was completed in 1911 by the Boston Manufacturing Company, comprised of roughly 500,000 bricks.

Its historical significance is reflected in its position on the City of Waltham’s official seal.

The chimney is part of the Francis Cabot Lowell Mill buildings, which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, having played a key role in the industrial revolution in America.

Last year, the city council approved $1.1 million in Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding for the preservation project. The private partnership that owns The Mill contributed roughly $350,000 to the $1.4 million total cost.

Weather permitting, the work is expected to take four to five months, according to a spokesman for the partnership.

Chimney information via Joe Niedbala and Bob Perry of the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation