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Historic preservation and land conservation appear to be mutually agreeable interests in Sudbury. Over the course of multiple Conservation Commission and Historical Commission meetings, the two commissions have devised an initial path for collaboration on the restoration and preservation of the Carding Mill house, dam and property.
For many Sudbury residents, the big question probably isn’t about the future use of the historic property, rather, the question is “What the heck is Carding Mill?”
The best description may just be from a 2006 application for Community Preservation Act funding. “The house, located at 102 Dutton Road, Sudbury, is situated on conservation land acquired by the Town of Sudbury from Northland of Massachusetts, Inc. as restricted Open Space Land in June, 1989. The house is within the Wayside Inn Historic District. The building was once part of Henry Ford’s Wayside Inn Estate, and housed a school for boys run by Henry Ford where machining skills were taught. The structure was originally constructed in New Hampshire, and brought to Sudbury in the late 1920s. The building is approximately 2,400 sq. ft., and the south side of the foundation comprises the dam for Carding Mill Pond. A private unpaved cart path serves as the access from Dutton Road and over the pond spillway to the Carding Mill House.”
A Sudbury Historical Society tour guide adds: “Power was intended to be provided by an overshot steel wheel, shown in the picture below. The wheel can now be seen just off the road to the left of the building as it was never installed. This building was never utilized as a carding mill, but instead was adapted to be used as a machine shop and laboratory by students of the Wayside Inn Boys School.”
While discussions about the property, the house and the dam are in the early stages, there appears to be an appetite to invest in the structure and the dam. The Conservation Commission is already evaluating the dam and developing cost estimates for repairs. The Sudbury Historical Commission also discussed the matter at their May 19 meeting. They developed a list of discussion items including expanded public access and parking, enhanced security, urgent and future restoration work, and discussion of future uses of the building.
Historical Commission Chair Chris Hagger was enthusiastic about the property. “For those of you on our commission who have not seen that property, it is an incredible property there that most people in Sudbury don’t know much about. And the Town owns the land around a good portion of Carding Mill and this historic Henry Ford Carding Mill building. And right now it’s gated off, so there’s really no access to the public, but it’s a beautiful, beautiful spot.”
The Historical Commission also discussed potential changes in jurisdiction over the property in the future.
Discussion in the May 19 Historical Commission meeting starts at 1:38:50 below.