A view of a mill dam and its attendant brick and stone cenotaph (Faulkner Mill Co.), burst forth from the otherwise ordinary winding roadway in North Billerica, Massachusetts….

We found ourselves at a handsome mill building tucked away on the outskirts of Greenfield. It’s a composite of structures dating from the early 19th century built along the Green River and a remnant of what many consider to be America’s first industrial park.

The grind of a long drive quickly melted away as we stood in the shade provided by the 176-year old armory building, soothed by the gurgling mill brook.