Referred to as Peabody’s Skyscraper and “the highest building in Peabody,” the building once located at 152 Main St. housed the United States Tanned Pigskin Company, reported to have been the original tanners of pigskin for innersoling and counters in the United States. The company’s tanned pigskin was later manufactured to cover footballs.
According to a 1902 newspaper article, the “tall, narrow building” was 10 stories in the rear and nine stories in the front and was situated on five acres of land that contained a total of eight buildings. The bottom two floors were used to finish the skins with the others used to “dry the skins properly, otherwise, the skins will not hold the tannage and will be ruined.”
Local history indicates that the original building was two stories high, with the additional stories added by owner Frank Winchester” because of the large growth in business” and the scarcity of available land.
The company later became incorporated by Winchester, Benjamin Hall, and Simeon Greenbaum in July 1904. A 1918 trade publication article noted that the company had “built up a remarkable business and stands high in manufacturing circles in Peabody.”
The factory building was razed after it began to lean and was considered unsafe.
