Saugus Iron Works - National Historic Site

http://saugusironworks.areaparks.com/

This site is definitely worth a visit if you are in the vicinity. One nice feature is that admission is free. You should give yourself about an hour to an hour and a half to take in all the exhibits.

A blast furnace, forge, and slitting mill have been reconstructed on the original 1640 foundations.

They have an excellant video which gives the history of the iron furnace. It is interesting to note that technically they were turning out excellant iron, but the Iron works failed due to the human factor: management and economics.

If you go, it would be good to print out a MAPQUEST or GOOGLE map of the local streets (search on: 244 Central St. Saugus MA 01906-2146). Coming off of the highway, there are National Park Service signs leading you to the Furnace, but there are no signs to get you back to the highway. The Historic Site is actually situated in a residential area and you will make a number of turns onto various local streets in order to get to the Iron Works.

While visiting the Site, one thing that struck me was the fact that the large bellows powered by the water wheels were single chambered bellows. I had expected them to be double chamber bellows. The blacksmith shop there has a person powered double chambered bellows. Granted at each of the water wheels, there are a pair of bellows. I did not get to see them work but I am guessing that when one bellows is expanding, the other bellows is sending air into the furnace or forge. The water wheels do work and once a day, they give a demonstration, but the timing did not fit my travel schedule.

-- AlbinDrzewianowski - 31 Aug 2008

• Saugus Iron Works, April, 2008:
  

• Water powered Trip Hammer:
  

• Water powered double bellows.: