Shetland Properties - A Brief History

A Brief Narrative On The Shetland Park Property
For fifty years, Shetland Park has been a landmark on the Salem Harbor's waterfront, and we are proud of this achievement. The site of this attractive property has had a long and noteworthy history, dating back almost 170 years.
In 1839, the Naumkeag Steam Cotton Company erected a steam-operated mill in the port city of Salem, Massachusetts, on the site of what is now Shetland Park. Organized by Nathaniel Griffin, the mill was built with capital raised through the sale of stock to area residents. By the time Construction was completed, the number of investors had grown to 1,458. The mill buildings were built by Charles James, and were the first in America to be driven by steam rather than hydro power. Coal for powering the steam engines and materials for ongoing construction projects were stored on nearby Union (now Pickering) Wharf.

(Pequot Mills, Circa 1910)

Operations began in 1845 and the location of the mill, along the waterfront, proved efficient for both cotton manufacturing and shipping of the goods. The sheeting was sold under the brand name of Pequot, so the mill became known as the Pequot Mills. In its heyday, the facility produced more than 18 million yards of cotton and employed nearly 1,500 workers.
Pequot Mills, June 28, 1914
(Photo taken circa June 28, 1914)

The Great Salem Fire of 1914 destroyed much of the City of Salem, and the Pequot Mills was a casualty of that fire. The fire burned 253 acres and 1,376 buildings, covering an area 1 1/2 miles long by 1/2 mile wide and resulting in almost 20,000 people homeless and 10,000 out of work. To its credit, the Naumkeag Steam Cotton Company began to rebuild the site almost immediately, and the buildings that were reconstructed after the fire (1916-1924) were made of state of the art steel-reinforced concrete structural systems.
The Pequot Mill gained national attention in 1933, when workers initiated a “wildcat strike” – a strike undertaken without union support – which lasted eleven weeks. The Naumkeag Steam Cotton Company remained in operation on this site until 1953, when it moved to South Carolina to take advantage of a cheaper labor market.
In 1958, Robert I. Lappin, owner of The Shetland Company, a manufacturer of small home appliances, purchased the property from Zeckendorf & Company (a major New York real estate company). Seventy-five percent of the buildings were vacant at the time, and Mr. Lappin moved The Shetland Company from its Lynn location into 200,000 square feet, renaming the 1,500,000 square-foot property Shetland Industrial Park.
Letterhead image from Shetland Industrial Park, circa 1960

Shetland Industrial Park offered leased space, at that time, to industrial and warehousing companies. This type of operation continued until about 25 years ago (approx. 1980). At that time, Shetland began to convert some of its industrial space into office space, taking advantage of the wonderful harbor views that were appearing due to the development of Pickering Wharf.
Architects' Rendering of Shetland Park

Development and upgrading of the buildings continued, and the property has become a thriving mixed-use facility, now known as Shetland Park. Approximately 89 tenants, who employ about 2,000 people, presently lease space within the park. Two of these tenants have been in the park for almost 50 years (Crystal Systems and EG&G (PerkinElmer)).

Shetland Park, Present Day
(Shetland Park, Current Day)

Shetland Park currently houses a number of State agencies: The Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Social Services, the Massachusetts Juvenile Court, the Department of Revenue, and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission and several others.
The park's newest tenant, the Law Firm of Tinti, Quinn, Grover and Frey, P.C., took occupancy on the first of July, 2007 and enjoy a breathtaking view of the harbor. The owners are looking forward to welcoming the Registry of Deeds for Southern Essex County, slated to move into the park early in 2008.

Shetland park is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and our objective for half a century has been to maintain the highest level of excellence for the satisfaction of our tenants. We believe that we have been highly successful in that regard, and intend to continue to strive for that ideal.

Shetland Park
27 Congress Street
Salem, MA 01970
978-744-0556

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A Brief Narrative On The Shetland Park Property For fifty years, Shetland Park has been a landmark on the Salem Harbor's waterfront, and we are proud of this achievement. The site of this attractive property has had a long and noteworthy history, dating back almost 170 years. In 1839, the Naumkeag Steam Cotton Company erected a steam-operated mill in the port city of Salem, Massachusetts, on the site of what is now Shetland Park. Organized by Nathaniel Griffin, the mill was built with capital raised through the sale of stock to area residents. By the time Construction was completed, the number of investors had grown to 1,458. The mill buildings were built by Charles James, and were the first in America to be driven by steam rather than hydro power. Coal for powering the steam engines and materials for ongoing construction projects were stored on nearby Union (now Pickering) Wharf. (Pequot Mills, Circa 1910) Operations began in 1845 and the location of the mill, along the waterfront, proved efficient for both cotton manufacturing and shipping of the goods. The sheeting was sold under the brand name of Pequot, so the mill became known as the Pequot Mills. In its heyday, the facility produced more than 18 million yards of cotton and employed nearly 1,500 workers. (Photo taken circa June 28, 1914) The Great Salem Fire of 1914 destroyed much of the City of Salem, and the Pequot Mills was a casualty of that fire. The fire burned 253 acres and 1,376 buildings, covering an area 1 1/2 miles long by 1/2 mile wide and resulting in almost 20,000 people homeless and 10,000 out of work. To its credit, the Naumkeag Steam Cotton Company began to rebuild the site almost immediately, and the buildings that were reconstructed after the fire (1916-1924) were made of state of the art steel-reinforced concrete structural systems. The Pequot Mill gained national attention in 1933, when workers initiated a “wildcat strike” – a strike undertaken without union support – which lasted eleven weeks. The Naumkeag Steam Cotton Company remained in operation on this site until 1953, when it moved to South Carolina to take advantage of a cheaper labor market. In 1958, Robert I. Lappin, owner of The Shetland Company, a manufacturer of small home appliances, purchased the property from Zeckendorf & Company (a major New York real estate company). Seventy-five percent of the buildings were vacant at the time, and Mr. Lappin moved The Shetland Company from its Lynn location into 200,000 square feet, renaming the 1,500,000 square-foot property Shetland Industrial Park. Shetland Industrial Park offered leased space, at that time, to industrial and warehousing companies. This type of operation continued until about 25 years ago (approx. 1980). At that time, Shetland began to convert some of its industrial space into office space, taking advantage of the wonderful harbor views that were appearing due to the development of Pickering Wharf. Development and upgrading of the buildings continued, and the property has become a thriving mixed-use facility, now known as Shetland Park. Approximately 89 tenants, who employ about 2,000 people, presently lease space within the park. Two of these tenants have been in the park for almost 50 years (Crystal Systems and EG&G (PerkinElmer)). (Shetland Park, Current Day) Shetland Park currently houses a number of State agencies: The Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Social Services, the Massachusetts Juvenile Court, the Department of Revenue, and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission and several others. The park's newest tenant, the Law Firm of Tinti, Quinn, Grover and Frey, P.C., took occupancy on the first of July, 2007 and enjoy a breathtaking view of the harbor. The owners are looking forward to welcoming the Registry of Deeds for Southern Essex County, slated to move into the park early in 2008. Shetland park is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and our objective for half a century has been to maintain the highest level of excellence for the satisfaction of our tenants. We believe that we have been highly successful in that regard, and intend to continue to strive for that ideal.
Shetland Park 27 Congress Street Salem, MA 01970 978-744-0556 Home \| Features & Amenities \| Site Plan & Specifications \| Space for Lease \| News \| About Us \| Our Location \| Testimonials \| Contact Us © 2008, Shetland Park. Site Design Version 1.5 Shetland Properties, Inc.