Leverett Crafts & Arts makes its home in the former Beaman–Marvell Box Shop in Leverett Center. Charles Hall Beaman and Orman Calvin Marvell opened the box shop for business in 1903 and employed up to fifty people. In its early days, the shop produced wooden shipping boxes. Beaman-Marvell remained in business until 1943 when cardboard replaced wood as the material for shipping goods.

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The factory was vacant until 1964 when the building  was bought by metal sculptor Joseph Barnes and his wife Lois Barnes. Their vision was to create a space where crafts and arts could flourish by providing affordable artist studio space, educational classes, and artistic exhibitions open to the public at no cost. Barnes passed away in 1966. After his untimely death, a group of Barnes’ friends, local craftspeople, and members of the community formed a crafts and arts organization housed within the building. Leverett Crafts & Arts has operated since 1967 as a non-profit educational arts organization.

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The LCA building has been a centerpiece in Leverett for over a century, serving both the industrial and cultural needs of the town. The Massachusetts Historical Commission has determined the building qualifies for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. It is a contributing property within the Leverett Center Historic District as both a historically significant industrial building, and as a community-based arts center.

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The building and generations of its occupants are an important part of the history of the Town of Leverett. That history continues every day, providing a variety of art experiences for the public within its walls.