Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

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Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

Location:	Essex County, Massachusetts, USA
Nearest city:	Boston, Massachusetts
Area:	9 acres (0.04 km²)
Established:	April 5, 1968
Total Visitation:	16,540 (in 2004)
Governing body:	National Park Service

Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site is a National Historic Site located about 10 miles (16 kilometers) northeast of Downtown Boston in Saugus, Massachusetts. It is the site of the first integrated ironworks in North America, 1646 – 1668. It includes the reconstructed blast furnace, forge, rolling mill, and a restored 17th century house.

Reconstructed forge and mill.

With the archaeological site of the 17th-century iron-making plant, the museum collection, the 17th-century Iron Works House, and the reconstructed iron works complex, Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site illustrates the critical role of iron making to 17th-century settlement and its legacy in shaping the early history of the nation. The site's enclave setting on the Saugus River, featuring an open-air museum with working water wheels, evokes a unique experience for park visitors. These resources demonstrate 17th-century engineering and design methods, iron-making technology and operations, local and overseas trade, and life and work in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

The original manufacturing site served as a training ground for skilled iron workers for what would become America's iron and steel industry. Iron making provided the infrastructure for the rise of other colonial industries. Called, "the forerunner of America's industrial giants," the site served as a center for technology, innovation and invention. The site interprets early industrial manufacturing, with its enduring social, political and environmental ramifications.