Turners Falls Welcomes the Return of “The Spinner”
The public is cordially invited to the rededication of Spinner Park, Saturday, October 2 at 10am. The newly rebuilt pocket-park is located on the Avenue A and Fourth Street in Turners Falls, MA.
Spinner Park was originally dedicated in May of 1985 by local officials, members of the Montague Select Board and former State representative John W. Olver. At that event, “The Spinner” sculpture was dedicated in honor of our industrial heritage and the woman who worked in our cotton and paper mills. Nine women who worked at the Kendall, Esleek, Strathmore mills were in attendance.
The rededication event will feature remarks and a plaque honoring former Town Administrator Frank Abbondanzio, the positioning of a time capsule created by Nina Rossi, and the unveiling of “The Spinner” which was completely refurbished by local sculptor Jack Nelson. The original “Spinner” was created in 1873 by French sculptor Leon Cugnot. The Turners Falls copy was cast in an Alabama foundry, sometime in the 1980s.
The Spinner Park Reconstruction project was funded by a Community Development Block Grant from HUD, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The work was completed by Sciaba Construction Corp., of Walpole, MA.