Warehouse and Dock

Goods loaded at the dock were brought to Boston

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Saugus, Massachusetts

Significance:

Shallow draft boats made their way up and down the tidal Saugus River transporting raw materials in and finished products out

Amenities

1 listed

Scenic View/Photo Spot

It is likely that one of the first construction projects at the original iron works was the building of the Warehouse and Dock on the bank of the Saugus River. These structures were a vital link between water and land. Initially, tools and labor landed here to begin construction. After construction of the iron works was finished, the building by the dock was used to store goods that were ready for shipment.

The portion of the Saugus River at the iron works is close enough to the ocean that it is influenced by the tides. When the tide was high, workers were able to get shallops (shallow bottomed sailboats) up to the Dock. This let them bring in raw materials and ship out finished and semi-finished products.

The shallops would bring gabbro from Nahant, and additional tools and labor to the iron works. Cast iron pots, salt pans, merchant bars, flat bar and slit bar were all shipped outbound from the Dock aboard the same boats for local coastal trade. Other times cargo could be loaded from the iron works boats directly on to larger ships or to a Boston warehouse bound for more distant locations such as London or Barbados.