Hearthside - The House That Love Built

HANNAWAY BLACKSMITH SHOP

Adjacent to Hearthside and Chase Farm Park on Great Road is the 1870’s Hannaway Blacksmith Shop, also owned by the Town of Lincoln. Turn-of-the-century blacksmithing demonstrations and classes at an operating forge are held Saturday and Sunday mornings year round from 8 a.m. to noon, helping to keep this old time craft alive for future generations. Visitors can stop in and experience the ring of the anvil and the odor of coal and hot steel as blacksmiths forge pieces of the metal into hinges, nails, and other household items. Also located within the Hannaway Shop is a wheelwright shop where visitors can watch repairs being done on old wooden wheels from carriages and wagons alongside the blacksmith. The Hannaway Shop is associated with the New England Blacksmiths’ Association.

Students learn the art of blacksmithing each Saturday.
 

The Hannaway Blacksmith Shop serves as the gateway to Chase Farm Park and parking for events at Hearthside and other nearby properties is available behind the Blacksmith Shop.

Blacksmith demonstrationWilliam H. Hannaway opened his first blacksmith shop in a lean-to which was located on the west side of the Moffett Mill, an 1812 structure down the street from Hearthside. In 1901, Hannaway purchased a former carriage house across from Hearthside to conduct his blacksmithing business. He and his wife eventually built a house on the property as well. The blacksmithing business was quite successful, but with the advent of the automobile, there was less and less demand for his trade. In the 1920’s, he closed his smithy, doing only part-time work for the horse-riding academy which was located at the Butterfly House next door and sharpening tools for neighbors.

Hannaway Blacksmith ShopHannaway was a large and powerful man who enjoyed his profession. Most of his work involved shoeing horses and setting wheels for carts and wagons. He was easily able to pick up the horses’ legs. If any horse gave him a problem, he took it as a personal challenge to shoe it. While working, he would often attract a small crowd. Children especially enjoyed watching him. Hannaway was an amiable and pleasant man, and he kept up a constant conversation while on the job.

Hannaway passed away in 1942, but one of his daughters, Cecilia Lee and her husband purchased the house. The blacksmith shop stood abandoned for more than 40 years and fell into disrepair. In 1985, Mrs. Lee donated it to the Town of Lincoln. The building was dismantled, moved to its current location on the 100-acre Chase Farm, and fully restored.

Class size for blacksmithing instruction is limited to two persons for each two-hour class period. To inquire about the Hannaway Shop or to sign up for classes, please contact us at info@hearthsidehouse.org or call 401-726-0597.

Return to top