Chandler-Parsons Blacksmith Shop facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chandler-Parsons Blacksmith Shop
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 107 Dawes Street, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1860 |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001702 |
| Added to NRHP | October 16, 1989 |
The Chandler-Parsons Blacksmith Shop, now called the Blacksmith Shop Museum, is a very old building in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine. It is believed to have been built in the early 1860s. This shop is special because it is one of the few 19th-century blacksmith shops in Maine that still looks much like it did back then. Today, a local history group owns and runs it as a museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 because of its historical importance.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The blacksmith shop is a small, one-story building. It is made of wood and has a pointed roof. The outside is covered with wood shingles. A smaller section with a slanted roof sticks out from the side.
Inside the Shop
The front of the building faces south and has four sections. The main door is in the middle, and there are windows in the other sections. The heavy double door has strong iron hinges. Inside, the shop is very simple. You can see the wooden beams that make up the building's frame. The museum keeps many original tools from the 1800s inside.
A Look Back in Time
The shop was likely built in the early 1860s by Nicholas A. Chandler. His family owned the land at that time. Nicholas Chandler was a blacksmith, but he was also known for raising and training horses.
New Owners and Changes
The next owner was Henry Parsons, who was Nicholas Chandler's brother-in-law. It is thought that Henry Parsons made some changes to the building. He might have changed the roof and added the slanted-roof section. Parsons ran the blacksmith business until about 1905. After that, people in the area used the shop sometimes.
Becoming a Museum
In 1964, the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society bought the shop. This group now runs the building as a museum. The society has also added a new building nearby. This new building is used for demonstrations. The museum is open to visitors from late May until October.
See Also
