Cape Cod Potato Chips began as the dream of two small business owners. They imagined a small operation where they could produce and sell the potato chips they had cooked in their kitchen for years. On July 4, 1980 that dream became a reality when they set up shop in a small store front in Hyannis. The big crunch of the kettle cooked chips soon became a local favorite. News of the chips quickly spread as tourist sampled the chips and took bags home to share. The business soon grew out of the store-front and a worldwide love affair with our natural snacks began.

We have expanded our snack offerings to include varieties of our popular Reduced Fat item as well as over a half dozen potato chip flavors, and kettle style whole grain chips. No matter what the variety, we maintain the tradition of using only the highest quality, all-natural ingredients in all of our snacks.

The public?s love of our snacks inspired us to open our factory doors for tours in 1985. Since then the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory Tour has become the area's largest tourist attraction, hosting over 250,000 visitors annually! The next time you visit the Cape, we invite you to stop in, take the tour and say hello.

In 1973, Ben Strohecker challenged himself to create the "best piece of candy in the world", regardless of cost. The result from his kitchen was the Sweet Sloops®, a sailboat shaped piece of almond butter crunch, covered in white chocolate dipped in dark chocolate and crushed pecans.

Twenty-five years ago a partnership started to emerge when a Salem State College sophomore applied for a job as a part-time chocolate dipper at a tiny new candy factory on the Salem, Massachusetts waterfront...a candy factory which had just expanded from the candy maker?s kitchen.

Since that time the college sophomore took on more operational, financial and marketing responsibilities (wedging in a Master?s Degree in Business Management, nights and weekends) and fifteen years ago was elected President of the Company. The owner of the candy factory, meanwhile, worked just as hard, but for fewer hours, while also pursuing watercolors and an improved first serve.

We are delighted to announce the twenty-five year partnership has been reversed: the part-time candy dipper now owns a controlling interest in the company, and has prevailed on the former owner to continue to help out for a few more years, a pleasant task since we both share a dedication to protect the policies that make Harbor Sweets different...policies like fresh butter, fresh cream, no preservatives, the best chocolate, the best service, and a workplace where all employees are treated with dignity and respect.

This is a heartwarming story, a story of the miracles which still can happen in our country.

Mason & Hamlin designs and manufacturers premium world-class pianos. Renown for their tone quality and uncompromising use of materials, every Mason & Hamlin sets the bar for what a luxury American piano should be.

Original City of Boston water pumping station.

National Braille Press is a nonprofit braille publishing and producing house established in 1927. We are committed to encouraging braille literacy and to offering meaningful employment to the blind and visually impaired. Tours of this unique facility follow the production of a book from transcription of the original text through proofreading, plate production, pressing, collating, and getting ready to ship. Tours allow for youth and adults to interact with and ask questions of the staff.

The history of the Pairpoint Glass Company dates back to 1837 when the Mount Washington Glass Works was founded in South Boston. William L. Libbey moved the firm to New Bedford in 1870. A reorganization of the company in 1874 brought Frederick S. Shirley to the firm as the new manager; and, under him, many new types of glass were developed and patented including: Burmese, Peachblow, Lava, Rose Amber, Royal Flemish, and Satin glass. Mount Washington became noted for its brilliant cut glass and was awarded a certificate of merit for its exhibit at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876.

In 1880, a brittania works called the Pairpoint Manufacturing Company was erected on land adjacent to the Mount Washington Glass Company. The works were named after its first superintendent, Thomas J. Pairpoint. At the time, Mr. Pairpoint was considered one of the greatest silver designers in England and America. This new company became one of the largest manufacturers of silverplated ware in the USA.

The two companies merged in 1894 and became known as the Pairpoint Corporation. Pairpoint soon became a leader in the glass industry.

Since 1970, the Pairpoint glass factory has been active in Sagamore on Cape Cod. Although the physical plant is not that large, the scope of the glass made here since has been tremendous. Hand-blown vases, stemware, decanters, perfume bottles, pitchers, cream and sugar sets, lamps, candlesticks, bottles, and paperweights are among the many items made at the factory alongside the Cape Cod Canal. Colors made here include sapphire blue, cobalt blue, gold ruby, Pairpoint ruby, rosaria, vaseline, opal, amethyst, camellia, auroria, amber and Pairpoint cranberry. The company supplies such customers as Tiffany's, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and Artisans in Glass. And, many unusual items in varying shapes or forms, some one-of-a-kind, are quickly purchased by the visitors to the factory.

In 1974, Pairpoint began pressing cup plates with new and original designs. There are more than 100 different cup plates on the market today, and some of them have become very collectible since they were made in limited editions.

Next time you're in Boston, come and visit the Samuel Adams Brewery. You'll learn about history... and then drink it. Learn all about Samuel Adams, brewer and patriot. Experience the entire brewing process, from start to finish. Taste the special malts used to brew Samuel Adams and smell the Hallertau and Tettnang hops. Enjoy the great new styles of Samuel Adams.

Taza Chocolate is a bean-to-bar chocolate factory located near Union Square in Somerville, MA. We are excited to announce that the Taza Chocolate Factory Tours are here! During your tour you will be able to sample chocolate, learn about cocoa beans and see the amazing machinery used to make traditional stone ground chocolate in this artisan bean-to-bar chocolate factory. All tours start at the Taza Factory Store and reservations are required. Tours are approximately 45 minutes with a limit of 18 people per tour.

Since its humble beginnings producing 200 bags of chips per day in an 800-square-foot storefront kitchen on West Main Street in Hyannis, Massachusetts, the Cape Cod Potato Chip company has grown exponentially. Its present plant produces 150,000 bags of potato chips, popcorn, pretzels, and tortilla chips daily, which are sold in 42 states and five countries.

The free, self-guided factory tour takes about a half hour, and kids of all ages will learn fascinating Cape Cod Potato Chip facts.

The Wayside Inn Grist Mill is the first working mill to be built as a museum. Commissioned by Henry Ford and designed by renowned hydraulic engineer J.B. Campbell of Philadelphia, work on the Mill began in 1924 by local workmen preparing the waterway from Grist Mill Pond. Built in the style of mills that operated in the Delaware Valley of Pennsylvania and in the Midlands area of England, the mill operates with millstones imported from France and high-quality 18th century milling machinery purchased by Ford?s antiques buyers.

The Mill ground its first grain on Thanksgiving Day 1929 with local miller Erwin Smith of Hopkinton turning the iron wheel to open the floodgates and set the millstones into operation. For many years, the Mill produced corn, wheat, and rye for the Inn and the Wayside Inn Boys School that Ford operated on the property. When Henry Ford died in 1947, the Mill ceased operations and Ford family representatives began selling off the land he had accumulated until the Wayside Inn property was back to its original 125-acre parcel.

Pepperidge Farm postcard In 1952, the Mill began full operations again. Under a lease arrangement with the Inn, Pepperidge Farm provided a full-time Miller to produce stone-ground whole wheat flour for the company?s products. The Wayside Inn Grist Mill shipped out its entire output to Pepperidge Farm plants: 48 tons of whole wheat flour a month?approximately 9,000 tons of whole wheat flour during the 15 years of the lease arrangement. As a Pepperidge Farm employee, the Miller operated and maintained the Mill, provided educational tours to thousands of visitors, and promoted Pepperidge Farm products which were on display in the Mill. When the Inn re-opened in June 1958 after a devastating fire and thorough restoration, Margaret Rudkin, a friend and neighbor of one of the leading preservationists, provided Pepperidge Farm cookies as dessert to the dining dignitaries. Pepperidge Farm ceased its production at the Wayside Inn Grist Mill in 1967 after 15 years of a harmonious working relationship that benefited both the Inn and Pepperidge Farm.

The Mill produced flour for King Arthur Flour Company from 1967 to 1969. In 1969, the Inn began to operate the Mill, hiring its own full-time Miller. The current Miller has worked at the Inn since 1977. The Grist Mill currently produces 5?15 tons of flour per year (depending on demand) which is used in the restaurant?s baked goods and is sold in the Inn Gift Shop.