The property, a major economic force in the development of Newton Upper Falls, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

The Saco–Pettee Machine Shops are located at the northwest corner of Oak and Needham Streets, just north of a bend in the Charles River.

In 1830 he established his own shop on this site, and began a profitable textile equipment processing manufacturer that supplied mills from New England to Mexico.

The oldest surviving building of this complex was built in 1893, when the business began specializing in the production of punched cards for controlling looms.

In 1897 Pettee merged with the Saco Water Power Shop, expanding its product line to include virtually all mill equipment except looms.