I first published a bit of the Brick Yard on Pine St. in my blog of: https://wrayfreden.com/2015/01/16/the-back-roads-from-seaview/
More information has come to light…enough to re-post with new findings. This business was relatively short-lived….1926-1943-ish… 17 years. Seventy-seven years have gone by with remnants still remaining now. The area has been left undeveloped and now overgrown.
Leaving Seaview and traveling west over Canoe Tree St., a bit on Main St., onto Pine St., over the Forest Street intersection and down the hill, Dad would throw his old Chevy into neutral to coast a good mile to Union St., thus saving on gas. Half-way down Pine Street, on the right, stood a small garage with brick pillars on both sides of the driveway, a cottage up on the hillside , then a brick factory. I might have been 6…maybe 7.
As we passed, I can remember seeing smoke coming from the chimney and the hot fire in the kiln. Stacks of bricks were along the side of the building. I never did get inside to watch the happenings. This may have been 1940 or 1941. The building was in disrepair and on the verge of falling in!
The Pine St. Brickyard. c. 1926-1940-ish.
Painting by Ray Freden
Jan Peterson’s research has revealed that on Jan. 19, 1928, Henry Bernier purchased two parcels of land with buildings, from Marcellus Hatch Jr. (1870-1940), with one boundary being the “Two Mile Line”. It’s not certain if Marcellus constructed the buildings or if Henry did prior to his purchase.
Henry was born in Bridgewater, Ma., his father was a brick-maker in Bridgewater, and Henry, in 1920, was listed as a brick-maker. His younger brother, Archie, was listed as a brickyard laborer. They resided together in Marshfield.
A 1940, Marshfield census listed Henry as Peter.
In 1926, brick manufacturing may have been started prior to Henry’s ownership.
Henry died in Marshfield, in April, 1943, at 55 years. The Executor of Henry’s will sold the property in 1945.
Recently uncovered bricks located on the site of the former Pine Street Brickyard.
It’s amazing these bricks are still intact being buried and wet for close to 80 years.
Recovered by Robin Mitchell and documented Dec. 2020.
A partial pillar still stands along the edge of Pine Street.
The opposite pillar is no longer standing.
Part of the garage foundation
Handmade bricks from the Pine Street Mill were 3 cents each and $30 per thousand, unless you dickered with him. Handmade bricks today will cost anywhere from $350 to $550 per thousand!
These handmade bricks are in a local home built in the 1800’s.
Thanks to Robin Mitchell for the recovery of these treasures. Sometime in the future, they can be seen at the Marcia Thomas House on Webster Street.
Thanks to Janet Peterson, Researcher, Marshfield Hills.
For further details of brick making, I found this link informative:
https://www.handmadebrick.com/blog_direct_link.cfm/blog_id/62158
W. Ray Freden
Seaview Marshfield, 70 years.
“Down East”, 16 years.