Boston Children’s Museum recently renovated the façade and infrastructure of its iconic Milk Bottle. The Milk Bottle was built in 1934 by Arthur Gagner of Taunton, Mass., to dispense the homemade ice cream he produced. Standing 40-feet tall and weighing 15,000 pounds, the Milk Bottle was one of America’s first fast-food drive-in restaurants and an authentic example of the Coney Island style of architecture. If real, it could hold 58,620 gallons of milk.
The Milk Bottle stood as a landmark on Route 44 in Taunton until it was abandoned in 1967. It was left in disrepair for years until HP Hood, a Massachusetts-based dairy company, purchased the deteriorating structure, refurbished it and donated it to Boston Children’s Museum.
“[The Milk Bottle] has been a meeting place and beloved landmark outside Boston Children’s Museum for 43 years,” says Carole Charnow, the museum’s president and CEO. “We are grateful that HP Hood is our partner and greatly value our long-term relationship with them.” Funds for the most recent renovation project were donated by HP Hood’s owners as a gift to the Boston Children’s Museum.
South Coast Improvement Co. served as general contractor, and Wessling Architects was chosen as the architect on the project. Work began in August 2020 and was completed in October 2020.
“The challenge with this restoration was to maintain the historic character of this iconic structure while replacing constantly deteriorating exterior materials with more durable options for this waterfront location,” says Scott Winkler, associate at Wessling Architects.
Work done on the bottle included stripping the exterior to the frame and installing new insulation, sheathing, siding, windows and doors. The interior received new plumbing, HVAC and electrical, as well as a makeover so the facility can be operational again.
The Boston Children’s Museum recently received the 2021 Mayor Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award by Preservation Massachusetts for the renovation of the historic Milk Bottle.
PHOTOS: South Coast Improvement Co.