Birthplace of the American Automobile (Roadmobile-1875) USA!

Here offered is a very-rare-styled, former water-powered, granite founded/brick-built, pre-industrial revolution, Federal cooperage (Millplex).

This building was built in 1837 by Joel Derby and utilized as a ten-hand cooperage, until the last year of the Civil War (1865).  In the pre-civil-war year of 1853 over 100,000 wooden pails were manufactured at this local.  Some pail examples were submitted to the New York Worlds Fair and they recieved recognition for "superior workmanship".

Also included with this property listing and for prosperity, is the "Joel Derby Cooperage Collection".  This collection includes a six foot, antique display case, full of many 19th century artifacts  that are attributed and identified, as being relevent to this historic property.  Further collection items include many iron appurtances such as the main, and other flywheels, crane hook, machine parts, and many other wooden items dating back to the inception of the building in 1837.  Further included in the collection are many books, papers, and photographs detailing the many historic events of the building in it's 170 years of industrial history.  Lastly included is much documentation pertaining to Mr. George A. Long (The Father of the American Automobile); especially newspaper accounts and books detailing Long's inventive, centurian life, and many exploits.     

This building/site also features an almost invisible aqueduct system that was built of large (6X4X2') granite blocks.  This, under the main building and further features a large (12X12X25') "headroom", prior to the "waterwheel room".  Further underneath, a large, granite-blocked water tunnel, extends under the State of New Hampshire Route 119,  into the canal "tailway", and did discharge into the Ashuelot River (very small frontage/canoe or kayak slip). This all with upper frontage on a now un-utilized, water canal system, designed and built to accomodate over ten millplexes (only one other is still attached in this very probable, historic district). This building is on the listings of the NHDHR, and, the National Park's listings of Historic Sites (State of New Hampshire and Federal recognitions).  A prominate State of New Hampshire Historical Marker resides just opposite the building on the main highway, commerating the deeds of George A. Long and the historical importance of this offered property. 

This offering would make an excellent Corporate Headquarters (501C?), Ultimate Bed & Breakfeast, Historic or Art Museum, Bauhaus-Type Artist Retreat or any realistic business(es) in the first floor commercial areas (275 sq.ft. commercial or office/1,472 sq.ft. storage areas). There is also a 680 sq.ft. commercial outbuilding  storefront (resembling that of an 1850's general store), that was sucessfully run as an antique shop for over six years.

The second floor currently has two apartments including the owner's suite with two bedrooms and plenty of sun-filled spaces. 12/12 windows, exposed/scribed/champhered posts (of spruce and oak woods respectively), exposed bricks and beams; add to the flavor of antique spaces and feelings of vast openess. The smaller, one-bedroom apartment, also sports exposed scribed/champhered posts, and beams; and also features a built-in, multi-pidgeonholed, forman's desk.

The third floor again,  is like stepping back into time as it appears completely original and all the building's interior framework is exposed (posts and pegged beams) is undisturbed, and in no way "over-restored". The formentioned aqueduct system in itself, is worth much study and grant monies/tax incentives are available for this, and a a variety of other such-related themes. The vast clerestory roof lends itself to much use for unseen solar panal spaces and the building itself being situated in an east/west configuration, with southern exposure, lends further to this possible indeavor.

In 1875 George A. Long (who lived in nearby, Northfield, MA at the time)  invented and built, a charcoal-fired-steam-propelled vehicle, that did motivate at 30 mph, "...roads permitting...".  Long built his first, unpatented vehicle here at this Hinsdale, NH, local.   Long constructed this First American Automobile while serving as an apprentice and while working for the civil war veteran and Captain, J. R. Holman, and his partner, C. D. Merriman.  The Holman and Merriman's machine shop was established at this local in 1865.  Subsequently Long designed, built, and patented, a second vehicle that is gasoline-powered-steam-propelled.   It is currently residing in the Smithsonian collection in Washington, DC.  Long recieved his patent number: 281,091 dated July 10, 1883, from the U.S.P.O.  This patented, second vehicle of Long's,  is revered as not only the oldest American Automobile; but, the oldest American, Self-Propelled Vehicle, in the same Smithsonian collection. A full and formal historical survey is available per mailed request and forwarding $10., for first-class, postage-paid, U.S.P.S., mail delivery.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_tricycle 

http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/collection/object_1281.html

http://www.trombinoscar.com/ancetres/long8001.html

http://www.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?=1006052110041 enter: "What was the first car ever made?" see result #6.

http://www.texastraderrv.com/vehicle/encyclopedia.html 

http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/collection/object_280.html 

http://www.patentpending.blogs.com/patent_pending_blog/steam_power/

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:HeraldicEagle