Simeon North Factory Site

Last updated
Simeon North Factory Site
BerlinCT SimeonNorthFactorySite2.jpg
The probable factory site
Location Berlin, Connecticut
Area1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built1795 (1795)
NRHP reference # 90001158 [1]
Added to NRHPAugust 18, 1990

The Simeon North Factory Site is a historic archaeological site in Berlin, Connecticut. It encompasses the remnants of an early gun factory of the pioneering manufacturer Simeon North. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. [1]

Berlin, Connecticut Town in Connecticut, United States

Berlin is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 19,866 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1785. The geographic center of Connecticut is located in the town. Berlin is residential and industrial, and is served by the Amtrak station of the same name. Berlin also has two hamlets: Kensington and East Berlin.

Simeon North American inventor

Simeon North was a Middletown, Connecticut, gun manufacturer, who developed one of America's first milling machines in 1818 and played an important role in the development of interchangeable parts manufacturing.

National Register of Historic Places Federal list of historic sites in the United States

The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance. A property listed in the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District, may qualify for tax incentives derived from the total value of expenses incurred in preserving the property.

Contents

Description

Simeon North (1765-1852) was a native of Berlin, and in June 1795 purchased an interest in a local sawmill. He adapted the site to the manufacture of scythes, and also used it as a manufacturing site for a contract awarded to him by the United States government for the purchase of firearms with interchangeable parts. It was the first contract of this type issued by the government, and North's innovations in the production of firearms are considered significant. In 1805 purchased the remaining shares of the mill, and erected a two-story factory on the site. North is believed to have primarily manufactured pistols at this site, although parts for muskets and rifles may also have been produced here for assembly elsewhere. Work ceased at this site in 1842-3, and the building was reported to be in deteriorated condition 15 years later. A flood eventually washed away the remains of the above-ground structure. [2]

Scythe agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or reaping crops

A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or reaping crops. It has largely been replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia.

Interchangeable parts are parts (components) that are, for practical purposes, identical. They are made to specifications that ensure that they are so nearly identical that they will fit into any assembly of the same type. One such part can freely replace another, without any custom fitting, such as filing. This interchangeability allows easy assembly of new devices, and easier repair of existing devices, while minimizing both the time and skill required of the person doing the assembly or repair.

Pistol Type of handgun where the firing chamber is integral to the barrel

A pistol is a type of handgun. The pistol originates in the 16th century, when early handguns were produced in Europe. The English word was introduced in ca. 1570 from the Middle French pistolet. The most common types of pistol today are the single shot and semi-automatic. Automatic pistols are less common due to laws and regulations.

The site is located on private property adjacent to a stream, including a dam that now supports a roadway. A portion of the main mill foundation stands on the stream's western bank below the dam, with a rubble pile of stone remains up to six feet high; these features are visible from the road. Archaeological investigation of the site in the 1980s uncovered more than 900 artifacts, including many metal items. Among these were pistol parts such as springs, pistol cocks, and triggers. [2]

See also

National Register of Historic Places listings in Hartford County, Connecticut Wikimedia list article

This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places designations in Hartford County, Connecticut.

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References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Crain, J. Larry; Saltus, Jr., Albert (Fall 1987). "Spruce Brook Mill: Simeon North's Pistol Factory, Berlin, Connecticut". Arms Collectors Bulletin. 57: 61–70.