City: Dalton, MA

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (413) 684-7780

Address: 40 Pioneer St.

Insider Pick:

Description: If you have an interest in American history or the art of letter writing, stop here to follow the paper trail of one of the country’s most distinguished firms. Well-known today for its elegant stationery, Crane is a 7th-generation family business that has been manufacturing 100 percent cotton paper since before the Revolutionary War. You likely have Crane paper in your wallet; since 1879 the company has made the paper used for US currency. Tucked behind the company’s Dalton headquarters, its museum is housed in the company’s Old Stone Mill. Here you can watch a video about the papermaking process and see antique molds and tools. Other displays chronicle some of the more than 200 years of events that have been announced on Crane stationery. You’ll also see a copy of the museum’s most prized possession, a 1775 ledger that details the purchase of currency paper by Paul Revere. At the end of your visit, you’ll receive lovely free stationery samples for your own correspondence. The museum is open from June through mid-October, Mon through Fri from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free.