2. Blacksmiths
One of the earliest industries set up in New
England towns was the blacksmith shop. People
needed forged metal tools, hinges, nails, and
horse shoes. There were usually two blacksmith
shops in Sherborn in the early days, one in the
center of town and one in South Sherborn, near
the Charles River.
James Holbrook had his blacksmith shop at 156
South Main Street. Elbridge Bickford and later
Rufus Holbrook had a shop near the Memory
Statue. Another was on Powder House Lane. Yet
another was near the Stone House on North
Main Street.
R. P. HOLBROOK,
Horse Shoer & Jobber
Carriage Ironing
SHERBORN,
MASS.
3. Steel Tools
At the “Stone House” at 55 North Main Street, Captain Partridge had a shop where steel
tools were made. The high-quality steel tools made there included pitchforks, spading
forks, cranberry rakes, knives, plows, and broad axes.
4. Carriage Shops
There were three carriage-making shops in town. One carriage shop was located in
the Post Office building, at the fork of Main Street and Washington Street. This
shop was located on the second floor with a steep ramp up to the rear of the
building. The carriages had to be pushed up and through a huge door to the
second floor shop.
Carriage Shop
Left: As Seen from Intersection of Washington
and South Main Streets
Right: As Seen from Unitarian Church Steeple,
1870s
6. Carriage Shops
At 52 Goulding Street, at the site of the gristmill, Vorestus Ware had carriage shop,
wheelwright shop, and blacksmith shop. Everything needed to repair a carriage
could be done right there on Goulding Street.
7. General Stores
When people traveled on foot or by horse and wagon, Sherborn was able to support several
stores at different ends of town. They were run by Mr. Sanger, Mr. Clark, Mr. or Mrs. Hawes, or
the Jacksons. A little Post Office distributed mail and the daily newspapers. All types of
necessary hardware, cloth, and food supplies were available. There was even candy for the
children lucky enough to make the trip to the store with their parents.
Clark’s Store
8. Paint Making
Most of Sherborn's homes were
built of wood, and gallons of paint
were needed to preserve the wood.
Many men in Sherborn earned their
livings as painters. A paint shop was
run by James C. Salisbury. It was
located in the parking lot near the
Memory Statue on North Main
Street. Mr. Salisbury’s first building
was a converted schoolhouse where
the Community Center now stands.
The materials used to make paint
burn easily, and that first building
burned down.
Mr. Shaw had another paint-making
factory in the building that used to
house the Dowse Shoe
Manufactory, but that building
burned, as well. Another paint shop
was located on Zions Lane in an old
schoolhouse that had been moved
there.
Fire at in Paint Shop/Former Shoe Factory
at Dowse’s Corner, 1907
9. Coffin Maker
At 54 North Main Street, across the street from the
Stone House, a carpenter named Amasa Green lived.
He was known for making six-sided wooden coffins in
the exact sizes needed. His shop was in his
basement. Mr. Green is buried in the Plain Burial
Ground on North Main Street.
10. Commercial Cannery
Home canning to preserve food was done in most Sherborn
homes. There was stiff competition at the Grange Fair to see
whose apple jelly or red pickled beets were the best. One man,
James Salisbury, made a commercial enterprise out of this
household activity. In addition to his paint shop and blacksmith
shop near the Memory Statue, Mr. Salisbury added a commercial
canning industry. For a short time, this business preserved and
canned tomatoes.
11. Watch Repair
Sherborn had watch repairmen, as did other small towns. Emerson Holden of Maple
Street had many customers from Sherborn and the surrounding towns. He was also the
skipper of the Atlanta, which was the passenger steamboat on Farm Lake.
~~~~ DONT ~~~~
Pay * Fancy * Prices.
Watches Cleaned and Oiled
IN THE BEST MANNER POSSIBLE FOR
---- 75 CENTS ---NEW MAIN SPRINGS
-- 75 CENTS -Other work at low prices and
WARRANTD BY
J. E. HOLDEN, 999 Main St.
Sherborn, Mass.
Steamer Atlanta,
Clovernook Grove,
Farm Lake
12. Indian Head Quarry
As you drive along Coolidge Street, have you looked at the
rugged, tall cliffs that rise up all the way to the top of
Peter’s Hill? These cliffs aren’t natural! They were blasted
using dynamite!
The cliffs hold syenite, which is an igneous rock sort of like
granite. For many years in the 19th century, people thought
this huge cliff of syenite might be valuable. One way
syenite is used is crushed underneath roadways. There was
even a railroad right across the street to transport the
rocks. But, how could the people get these valuable rocks
out of the cliffs?
13. Indian Head Quarry
The answer was to blast the rocks out of the cliff using dynamite! The idea of using dynamite
caused quite some difficulty in town. For years people discussed and argued about it. Some
people in Sherborn thought the quarry was a good idea because it could make money for the
town and provide jobs. Other people were worried that using dynamite might cause
earthquakes and that the land near the quarry would be worth less money if blasting occurred
nearby. Still others feared the state of Massachusetts might just take the rock to use in building
highways. What should the town do?
14. Indian Head Quarry
Finally, in 1924, the structures were built by the cliffs so that
dynamite could be used to extract the rock. Unfortunately, the
quarry only had the chance to mine a few feet of rock off the cliffs
before the business closed and left town. The biggest industry in
town since the Dowse shoe factory was no more.
