The Morley Button Factory
The 871 Islington Condominiums are part of what was once the Morley Button Factory. The button factory produced buttons for high button shoes, gaiters, clothing, collar, upholstery, and tufting. It also produced upholstery nails, and ring-travelers and twister for spinning machines. The first factory building (#1 on the third map on the maps page) was erected around 1892 in Portmouth's former "cricket field." The Morley Company prospered, soon dominating the button-making industry and becoming for a time the largest manufacturer of buttons in the world.
Its success led to several expansions, two of which, one in 1910, another in 1911, became the nucleus of the 871 Condominiums. In 1910, the Button Building (#6) was built, projecting toward Islington in front of and below a three-story section (#6b) also built in 1910. According to the Inventory Form,
Its success led to several expansions, two of which, one in 1910, another in 1911, became the nucleus of the 871 Condominiums. In 1910, the Button Building (#6) was built, projecting toward Islington in front of and below a three-story section (#6b) also built in 1910. According to the Inventory Form,
The top floor housed button-making operations and machinery, packing and shipping was contained on the first floor and the basement was used for button storage (Insurance plan ca. 1920). When the building was finished, employees celebrated its dedication with a large banquet on the first floor and a dance on the second (Portsmouth Herald 02/05/1943: 10-A).
In 1911, the factory added several structures to the northeast corner of the complex: a recreation room adjacent to the original stair tower (#7b), a new shipping area (#7a) and, finally, a new office (#7) at the front.
The building complex that was to become the 871 Islington Condominiums was finally assembled in 1946, when the City of Portsmouth established the N.H. Technical Institute:
The building complex that was to become the 871 Islington Condominiums was finally assembled in 1946, when the City of Portsmouth established the N.H. Technical Institute:
when units #6, 6a, 7, 7a and 7b were sold to the City of Portsmouth and became a vocational school, the N.H. Technical Institute. The office and shipping room (#7, 7a) became classrooms, the Button building (#6) had the machine shop on the first floor, and metal shop on the second. An additional welding shop area and garage (#13) was added at that time.
The Button Factory Artist Studios, which now occupy the central and oldest buildings of the industrial complex, offers a brief history of the Button Factory. The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources, Individual Inventory Form, for the Morley Button Factory offers a more detailed history. The Individual Inventory Form can be downloaded here:
por0069_-_button_factory_revised_2007-10-11.pdf |