Across from the Whitin Machine Works, the Whitin Community Center stands as a reminder of the various ways that work bled over into everyday life for employees of this company. Members of the Whitin family commissioned this center in 1922. It is a recreational center usually referred to as “the Gym."
A similar property was built in nearby Hopedale, Mass., around the same time. This social and recreational hub was designed to keep workers content with village life in a rapidly changing world. Whereas companies today may offer gym memberships or other benefits, the Whitins chose to invest directly into the communities where their business was located.
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service