The Peterboro Basket Company – 150 Years of Basketry
As one of the leading manufacturers of handmade wooden baskets, Peterboro Basket Company has established a reputation for high quality among basket enthusiasts. The company is located in Peterborough, New Hampshire and has been in business for over one hundred and fifty years.
One of the founders of this company was Amzi Childs, originally from Deerfield, Massachusetts. He came to Peterborough in 1841 to make lead pipes. Meanwhile, a man named Moses Chapman had erected a building in 1830 that served as a carpentry shop. Along with a man named Asa Henry, Childs began basket weaving in the carpenter’s shop from 1851 to 1891. In that year, the basket business burned down and was later sold to the McLane Basket Factory which was located in Milford. The Peterborough business was also moved there.
One of Child’s factory foremen was named Henry B. Needham. He had been working at the plant for fifteen years when the fateful fire occurred. After the business moved to Milford, Needham established his own basket business, Needham Basket Factory, in Peterborough in part of the White Machine Shop. Two years later, in 1893, Needham built a new building of his own.
His business began to prosper and in 1916 it was incorporated and became the HB Needham Basket Company. In 1920 this company reorganized to build a new building and was reunited with the Milford company. In 1926, tragedy struck a second time when the new HB Needham Basket Company building also burned down. The company was reorganized again and became the current Peterboro Basket Company.
Today, the business is still family owned and operated, employing a large number of Peterborough’s Cambodian population. The company also has the Peterboro Factory Outlet store which is located on the same site as the manufacturing facility. Inside, a team of artisans craft these homemade baskets with the same care as Amzi Childs. Unlike other basket companies, such as the Longaberger Basket Company, the Peterboro Basket Company does not offer tours of its facilities due to insurance requirements. However, the company offers a video that shows the process in which these shoes are made.
The Peterboro Basket Company offers a variety of baskets for every occasion. Her most popular items include a beautiful weaving basket. This item has a lid and solid legs built into the bottom that allow you to place these baskets anywhere you plan to work. Measuring 17″L x 11 ½”W x 13″H and retailing for $59.95, this basket can be a useful addition to any home.
Another popular item that is available at the Peterboro Basket Company is the Peterboro Traditional Magazine/Storage basket. This item is the largest in the Peterborough line and allows for easy transport thanks to the presence of two swivel handles. This model also has two legs on the bottom that are made of Appalachian White Ash. Measuring 20″L x 12″W x 11’H and retailing for $39.95, this basket can be used to store magazines or pack a large picnic lunch at your favorite park or beach.