Society for Industrial Archeology (SIA)

Society for Industrial Archeology (SIA)

Richmond Iron Works (RIW), Richmond Furnace, Massachusetts, USA
Society for Industrial Archeology (SIA)
Northern New England Chapter (NNEC)
Southern New England Chapter (SNEC)
Links

SIA is a not for profit organization of volunteers who are interested in Industrial Archeology. SIA promotes the identification, interpretation, preservation, and reuse of historical industrial and engineering sites, structures, and equipment. The people of SIA are industrial engineers; acedemics in industrial, historical, geophysical, etc. fields of study; photographers; and any one with an interest in crumbling building and rusting hulks left behind and deserving historical recognition.

"Local" Events

RIW Furnace Stack

Richmond Iron Works (RIW)
RIW Furnace Stack surrounded by Limestone (Marble) wall remains of the 1830's factory. Roof of owners house at top.

National Historic District Registration - August 1999

The district boundary includes the charcoal fired furnace that produced cast iron pigs, the surrounding factory remains consisting mostly of stone walls, the nearby iron ore mines and limestone quarries, the works Office and Iron Masters house, and several workers houses.

Richmond Iron Works and Local History page

Richmond Iron Works (RIW) 1829 to 1923. Almost 100 years of Iron mining and smelting into pigs using charcoal for fuel and limestone for flux. The iron was used in Rodman Guns, in the iron cladding plates for the Monitor, and railroad wheels for many years. A 300 acre area surrounding the furnace stack and the iron ore mines is included in the proposed National Historic District.
Many local sources have been searched to provide information on RIW's operations and the history of the people who labored at the works. An extensive land survey using a Theodolite has been completed to provide a 3 dimensional accurate record of the area and the many archaeological features found.
Society for Industrial Archeology (SIA)
National Headquarters are housed at--
Department or Social Sciences
Michigan Technology University
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, MI 49931
SIA@mtu.edu
www.ss.mtu.edu/ia/sia.html

Northern New England Chapter (NNEC)

Southern New England Chapter (SNEC), Boston, Ma.
Activities
October 7 - SNEC Business Meeting at The Original Yankee Steam Up, New England Wireless and Steam Museum, East Greenwich, RI
May 5-7, 2000 - IronMasters 2000 - Massachusetts: Roots of Iron
February 5, 2000 - Winter Meeting, Plymouth State College, Plymouth, NH
January 20, 2000 - Belcher Mallable Iron Foundry, Easton, MA
November 16, 1999 - New England Ropes & Braton Point Power Station Tour, MA, RI
September 1999 - Granite Quarrying Sites in Rockport, MA

July 1999 - Toured the "Big Dig," Boston's Central Artery and Tunnel project.
The project has been under construction since late 1991, and it is now over half completed. It spans 7.5 miles of highway, 161 lane miles in all, about half in tunnels. The larger of two Charles River bridges, a 10-lane cable-stay bridge, will be the widest ever built and the first to use an asymmetrical design.
WATCH YOUR MAIL FOR MORE INFORMATION
Thanks to all who responded to the questionnaire regarding future tours. The response was wholeheartedly in favor of weekday tours if that is what it takes to tour operating facilities. Therefore, I am currently scheduling dates for tours of the following operations to be held over the next several months. Watch your mail for details!
Belcher Foundry -- Easton, MA ---
LB. Starrett -- Athol, MA
Wyman-Gordon -- North Grafton, MA
Washington Abrasives -- North Grafton, MA
New England Ropes -- Fall River, MA

I am also trying to schedule a second tour of Boston's Big Dig. The response to the initial invitation was overwhelming, over twice the 13 people allowed on the tour. Those of you that tried to sign up for the first tour but were too late calling will be the first contacted for the second tour, once scheduled. We've anticipated the second tour for this Fall, but with high demand and over scheduling at the Big Dig, it now sounds like they are not willing to book us again until next Spring.

Greg Galer
SNEC Vice President/Program Chair
Links

LC-HABS-HAER Collections http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/hhhtml/hhhome.html
Library of Congress Home Page http://lcweb.loc.gov/
National Association of State Archaeologists http://nasa.uconn.edu/
National Register of Historic Places http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/nrhome.html
NPS Links--Historic American Buildings Survey http://www.cr.nps.gov/habshaer/habshaer.html
New York State Archives and Records Administration http://www.sara.nysed.gov/
Penfield Foundation in Ironville, NY http://www.penfieldmuseum.org/
Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities http://www.spnea.org/
Some Relevant Links - Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway, Troy, NY http://www.rpi.edu/~carroll/links.html
Stockade Historic District, Schnectady, NY http://historicstockade.com/
Vermont Historical Society Home Page http://www.state.vt.us/vhs/
Welcome to the Iron Trail, MN http://www.irontrail.org/

Always Under Construction
October 31, 1999
November 2000

Disclaimer - This is an unofficial site for the Society for Industrial Archeology. I am a member of the society and have chosen to post this information on my personal site. I am not an officer of the society and this site isn't monetarily supported by the society in any way. The included information is from various SIA and SIA chapter newsletters, tour announcements, and other sources. This web page is provided free of charge.

Richmond Iron Works and Local History page