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HANNAWAY BLACKSMITH SHOPAdjacent to the Hearthside House property and Chase Farm Park on Great Road is the 1870’s Hannaway Blacksmith Shop, which is another historic property owned by the Town of Lincoln. Visitors can now 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. Blacksmithing displays and demonstrations are offered during special events at Hearthside. Rangers from the National Park Service also provide interpretive talks about the history of Great Road and the Blackstone Valley at the Blacksmith Shop.
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. 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. Programming for the Hannaway Blacksmith Shop is handled through Friends of Hearthside, Inc. Classes in hand forging are held on Saturday mornings from May through October. The Shop is open to the public for demonstrations from 9:00 a.m. till 12 noon during that time. Classes are offered in hand forging on Saturday mornings; men, women, and teens over age are welcome. To sign up or for more information about the Hannaway Shop, contact us at kathartley@cox.net or (401) 724-1522. Click here for photos! |
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William
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
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.