Wakefield Rattan Company
Wakefield Rattan Co. | |
Now-demolished Wakefield Rattan Company buildings, c. 1985 | |
| Location | 134 Water St., Wakefield, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°30′11″N 71°3′59″W / 42.50306°N 71.06639°W |
| Built | 1889 |
| MPS | Wakefield MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000692 |
| Added to NRHP | July 06, 1989 |
The Wakefield Rattan Company was the world's leading manufacturer of rattan furniture and objects in the second half of the 19th century. Founded by Cyrus Wakefield in 1851 in South Reading, Massachusetts (now Wakefield), it perfected machinery for working with rattan, developing looms for weaving chair seats and mats. Its products also included wicker furniture and baby carriages. The company also successfully found uses for previously wasted portions of the plant, using shavings to create baling fabric and floor coverings. Its products were available throughout the United States.