When this photograph was taken, the Arms Manufacturing Company in South Deerfield, Massachusetts, was the second-oldest manufacturing concern in Franklin County. Founded by Dennis Arms in 1845, it initially consisted of two or three employees. Forty years later the business had more than fifty employees, both men and women, many of whom were related to Mr. Arms. The company was known for its well-crafted pocket-books (wallets), billbooks, letter books, card cases, etc. Fire destroyed the first building in the summer of 1889, and the owners erected the structure shown here on the same site. Note the shutters and clapboards that give the building the appearance of a residence rather than a factory.