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Iron Works of Taunton-Part One
By Kathryn Hall | May 24, 2008
On January 19, 1890 an article appeared in the New York Times entitled “Taunton’s Two Old Houses: An Antiquarian on the History of the Leonard Mansions.” The antiquarian referenced was genealogist Elisha Clark Leonard who presented a paper at the Old Colony Historical Society entitled “Ancient Iron Works and Leonard Mansions of Taunton.” The image above was included in this paper. States the New York Times, “…the Old Gambrel-Roofed House at Raynham Forge…was built by a Leonard to accomodate the employees at the iron works in 1653, and undergoing slight changes, stood until 1885, when it too was torn down. It was coeval with the first settlement of Taunton, and stood as a landmark for 230 years, and its low, quaint, and sturdy architecture commanded general attention. It was the oldest building by far in this section of the country, and ranked among the earliest among the Commonwealth.”
KH
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