Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site facts for kids
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Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
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Reconstructed forge and mill
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 244 Central Street, Saugus, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 9 acres (0.04 km²) |
| Architect | Perry, Shaw & Hepburn, Kehoe & Dean |
| Visitation | 11,153 (2006) |
| Website | Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000047 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHLD | November 27, 1963 |
| Designated NHS | April 5, 1968 |
The Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site is a special place in Saugus, Massachusetts, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) northeast of Boston. It is known as the location of North America's very first complete ironworks. This important factory was started by John Winthrop the Younger and operated from 1646 until about 1670.
Today, you can see reconstructed parts of the old ironworks. These include a blast furnace, a forge, a rolling mill, and a large trip hammer. Seven big waterwheels powered the machinery. Some of these wheels worked together using huge wooden gears. The site also had a dock for loading iron onto ships. There is also a restored house from the 1600s to explore.
Contents
History of the Iron Works
In the 1600s, iron was super important for making many things. People used it for nails, horseshoes, cooking pots, tools, and even weapons. Making iron was a complicated industrial process. Early English colonies in North America could not make their own iron. This meant they had to import all iron goods from far away. Since it took at least two months to sail to the nearest iron factory, iron goods were very expensive.
Why Build an Iron Works?
John Winthrop the Younger believed that the colonies had plenty of cheap raw materials. He thought an ironworks in Massachusetts could make products. These products could then be sold for profit in places like New England and England itself. In 1641, Winthrop traveled to England. He needed to raise money to start this big project. A group called the Company of Undertakers for the Iron Workes in New England was formed to fund it.
Winthrop first chose a spot in Braintree, Massachusetts (now part of Quincy, Massachusetts). Construction began in 1644 and finished in 1645. On October 15, 1645, Winthrop got a special deal. The Undertakers received a tax exemption and a 21-year monopoly on iron production. This was granted by the Massachusetts General Court. However, the Braintree Iron Works did not succeed. There wasn't enough iron ore nearby. Also, there wasn't enough water to power the machines.
Choosing the Saugus Location
In 1645, the Undertakers decided to replace Winthrop. They chose Richard Leader, a merchant from England. Leader knew a lot about making iron. When he arrived in Massachusetts, he looked at other possible locations. He picked a spot in Lynn, Massachusetts (now part of Saugus). This new site was on the Saugus River.
The river was good for small boats and could be dammed for power. Nearby forests provided wood for charcoal. Bog ore, a type of iron ore, could be found in local ponds and swamps. Limestone, usually used in iron making, was not available. But they discovered that gabbro, found in Nahant, worked just as well.
How the Iron Works Operated
The new ironworks, called Hammersmith, started in 1646. It was very advanced for its time.
- A blast furnace made pig iron and gray iron. Gray iron was poured into molds to make things like pots and pans.
- A forge refined pig iron into wrought iron. A 500-pound hammer shaped it into bars for blacksmiths.
- A rolling and slitting mill made flat pieces of metal. These were used for nails, bolts, horseshoes, and other tools.
The Iron Works ran for about 30 weeks a year. It produced one ton of cast iron every day.
Workers at the Iron Works
Skilled workers came from England to work at the ironworks. These new arrivals sometimes had trouble fitting in with the local Puritan society. Less experienced local men also worked there. They often had accidents, some of which were serious.
Another group of workers were indentured servants. These people worked for little or no pay for several years. In return, they got their trip to Massachusetts, food, clothing, and housing. After the Battle of Dunbar (1650) in 1650, 60 Scottish prisoners of war were sent to the Iron Works. They worked as indentured servants. Most of these Scots gained their freedom after seven years. Many stayed in Massachusetts or moved to Maine.
Challenges and Closure
In 1650, Richard Leader left the Iron Works. John Gifford and William Aubrey took over. Even though the Iron Works made a lot of iron, it rarely made a profit. This was due to high labor costs and financial problems. The Iron Works eventually closed around 1670.
Rebuilding the Saugus Iron Works
After the ironworks closed, the site was forgotten. It became covered by plants and trees. In 1898, a historical marker was put up. But even that marker eventually disappeared into the bushes.
In 1915, a collector named Wallace Nutting bought a nearby farmhouse. He believed it was the home of the ironmaster. He restored the house and called it Broadhearth. Nutting used the house to show off his antique collection. He even added a blacksmith's shop.
Over the years, the house changed owners several times. In 1941, there was a plan to move the house to Henry Ford's Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. This made people in Saugus very upset. They wanted to keep the historic building. After many talks, Henry Ford agreed not to move it.
To save the house and the site, a group called the First Iron Works Association (FIWA) was formed. In 1943, they bought the farmhouse and some of the old Iron Works land.
Finding the Lost Iron Works
One of the FIWA directors, Louise E. du Pont Crowninshield, asked Quincy Bent for money. Bent was a retired steel executive. He wasn't impressed by the house, but he was interested in a pile of slag (waste from iron making) on the property. This slag suggested that the remains of an ironworks were hidden there. Bent convinced the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) to fund the restoration.
In 1948, the FIWA asked archaeologist Roland W. Robbins to find the Iron Works. Robbins was excited to dig at such an old site. He had very little information to start with, no old maps or drawings.
Robbins' team uncovered the main parts of the Iron Works. They found building foundations, parts of the blast furnace, and holding ponds. They even found a 500-pound hammer and a waterwheel. Biologists from Harvard University helped save the waterwheel. In total, over 5,000 artifacts were discovered!
Reconstruction and Opening
The Boston architecture firm of Perry, Shaw & Hepburn, Kehoe & Dean was hired. They were famous for restoring Colonial Williamsburg. They used what Robbins found and old documents to rebuild the Iron Works.
The Saugus Iron Works officially opened on September 18, 1954. This was part of Saugus's 325th-anniversary celebration. Important people like Benjamin Franklin Fairless, chairman of U.S. Steel, were there.
Becoming a National Park
After it opened, Saugus Iron Works was a private museum. It was run by the First Iron Works Association and funded by the American Iron and Steel Institute. In 1961, the AISI announced they would stop their funding. This made the future of the site uncertain.
However, on April 5, 1968, the Saugus Iron Works became part of the National Park Service system. It was renamed the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. The park is open to visitors from spring through fall.
Images for kids
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Reconstructed forge, interior view; note water-powered bellows.
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General site plan.
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Saugus Iron Works (1971 photograph)
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The Furnace
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Saugus Iron Works house
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Saugus River at the Iron Works
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Forge, rolling and slitting mill, and Saugus River
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Forge and rolling and slitting mill
