Hannaway Blacksmith Shop

Adjacent to the Hearthside House property and Chase Farm Park on Great Road is the 1870’s Hannaway Blacksmith Shop. 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.

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 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.