Saugus Iron Works Site and Park - Saugus, MA
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NorStar
N 42° 28.125 W 071° 00.510
19T E 334884 N 4703777
The Foundry, Forge, Rolling/Slitting Mills, plus other buildings are located on one of the oldest iron works sites in the country and from this location many other iron works activity can be traced.
Waymark Code: WM4AWJ
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 07/31/2008
Views: 48
The two main web sites, National Park Service - Saugus Iron Works site, and the Saugus Iron Works AMSE Landmark site, both provide a comprehensive narration of the history at this location. At the risk of oversimplifying, I present a brief sketch here:
The first iron works in Massachusetts Bay colony, was an iron works started in Braintree (now Quincy) in 1644. However, it was short lived and ran out of nearby iron ore before it was profitable.
A new site was searched for. Richard Leader was chosen to find a suitable location and build a new iron works. Leader was able to find an ideal location: plenty of water, nearby ore, and a waterway to transport materials and finished goods. Construction started in 1646 and operations started in 1647. The works included a furnace, foundry, and rolling and slitting mills. For a while operations went well, but in 1650, Leader left after a falling out with the owners. Another man, Joseph Jenks, was well skilled in metal working and was awarded the first patent in America for "machines that go with water." The iron works ended operations by 1675 for several reasons, including getting accessible iron ore and the difficulty in making a profit due to the set price of selling product.
The skilled workers who worked at the iron works, moved on either to other iron works or established their own.
In the 1950s, the site was excavated for a major archeological dig. The foundations were all found as well as many artifacts that survived 350 years. Many of these are on display in the museum portion of the park. When you visit, go on the guided tour. If there is enough water, the ranger will demonstrate many of the processes - such as demonstrating how the 500-lb trip hammer works (block your ears!).
The ASME landmark sign, along with other signs, is located in the museum where a film is shown to visitors.
Location:
National Park Service
244 Central Street
Saugus, MA 01906
Type of structure/site: Iron Works
Date of Construction: 1647
Engineer/Architect/Builder etc.: Richard Leader
Engineering Organization Listing: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Web Site: [Web Link]
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