Historical Significance:

John Winthrop Jr. was America’s first ironmaster.  Winthrop was aware of the colonies’ cheap and abundant supply of raw materials and he began construction of the Braintree Iron Works in 1644.  The site was, however, unsuccessful due to a lack of iron ore in the area and an inadequate supply of water to power the machinery.  A manager replaced Winthrop in 1645 and he moved the works along the Saugus River, a site that operated from 1646 to 1670.  Known as Saugus Iron Works today, this was the first successful ironworks in the United States.

1833 Map, Library of Congress

Iron and Steel Hall of Fame Induction - 2018