Saugus River

The river transported raw materials in and finished products out

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Saugus, Massachusetts

Significance:

Key to the operation of the iron works

Amenities

1 listed

Scenic View/Photo Spot

The Saugus River flows from Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield to the Atlantic Ocean just south of Nahant. From the vantage point of the ocean, the river feels its last influence of the tides at the site where the iron works was built. The contour of the riverbed at that location provided the opportunity to use the change in river elevation to operate the machinery. 

The river drops sharply down a steep slope (fall line) from a higher elevation plateau upstream of the iron works site to a lower floodplain at the site's turning basin. This sharp drop in river elevation provided the iron works builders / operators with the opportunity to bring river water to the upper level of the site where it was directed into the large waterwheels that powered the iron works machinery before being discharged back into river at a lower elevation.

Water was needed to run the wheels that powered the machinery in each building. Therefore, the Saugus River was dammed upstream in the 1640s to create a large reservoir. A shallow waterway was cut from the resulting 230-acre reservoir to a smaller holding pond located just behind the iron works. Sluiceways brought water from the holding pond to each building, where it turned water wheels powering bellows, the trip hammer, and the rolling and slitting machinery. After the water provided its power, it vented back to the river through the tailraces of the iron works.

In the 17th century the iron works dam was fraught with controversy. Agreements were made early on that the level of water was not to go any higher than a predetermined point on a reference rock in the pond. Despite this, under new management, the dam was built higher by the iron works. The additional stored water flooded more farmland and floated a bridge that resulted in a horse falling through it and then a lawsuit. The iron works was forced to pay the farmer for the flooded land.

Also, when the initial dam was built, it immediately terminated the run of anadromous fish, especially alewives. Settlers upriver used the fish for food and manuring their fields. When the iron works ceased operation, the local community petitioned the authorities to have the dam removed with no success. They took it upon themselves to remove the dam in the dark of night with the assistance of a dog and some others to act as lookouts along with a signal musket. Over the course of two attempts they re-established the natural flow of the Saugus River.