CHARLESTOWN NAVY YARD, CHAIN FORGE (Smithery) (Building 105)
HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD CHARLESTOWN NAVY YARD, CHAIN FORGE (Smithery) (Building 105) HAER No. MA-90-3 Location: Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts Building 105 is located at latitude: 42.376258 and longitude: -71.052419. The coordinate represents the structure’s southwest corner. This coordinate was obtained on August 1, 2013, using Google Earth imagery dated April 9, 2013. Building 105 has no restriction on its release to the public. Present Owner: Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) owns Building 105, but the National Park Service owns the machines still in the building. Present Use: Not in use. Significance: The Charlestown Navy Yard’s Chain Forge is significant for its role as the leading manufacturer of anchor chain and anchors for the U.S. Navy in the twentieth century, as well as for the innovations in chain design and manufacture developed by its employees. In particular, the invention of Die-Lock chain by yard employees Albert M. Leahy, Carlton G. Lutts, and James Reid resulted in the designation of Die-Lock chain as the U.S. Navy’s standard and the Charlestown Navy Yard as the U.S. Navy’s supplier. Although production ceased in the 1970s with the closure of the navy yard, the forge retains a nearly complete inventory of the forges, hammers, presses, and other machinery necessary for production. In addition, there are a number of unique extant machines, such as the 1917 Tinius Olsen chain testing machine, one of only two built, and the nearly complete assembly plant for 4-3/4" Die-Lock chain. Historian: Justine Christianson, HAER Historian, 2013-2014 Project Information: The Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) is a long- range program that documents and interprets historically significant engineering sites and structures throughout the United States.
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