| The Davistown Museum |
| The Ancient Dominions of Maine: An Archaeology of Tools |
| Historic Maritime III (1800-1840): Boomtown Years & the Dawn of the Industrial |
| Revolution |
| | The tools in this exhibit are typical of those which may have been used by the residents of Liberty and |
| | Montville in the early boomtown years of what was until 1807, the Davistown Plantation. In the early years |
| | of the 19th century, most small edge tools and plane blades were imported from England. Often made of cast |
| | steel, these tools are usually so marked and include maker's names. By 1800, a vigorous colonial iron and |
| | toolmaking industry had evolved, especially for making adzes, slicks, broad axes and other large timber framing |
| | and shipbuilding tools. These tools could be blacksmith-made natural steel, welded steel or imported English |
| | cast steel edge tools. Please refer to the museum metallurgy guide for a listing of tool types. |
| | The boomtown atmosphere of Liberty and Montville in the early 19th century with its water mills and cooper's |
| | shops was typical of many areas of New England. The development of the factory system in southern New |
| | England soon required larger water power sources (rivers) than were present in Liberty and Montville, whose |
| | population, as well as its manufacturing output appears to have peaked between 1840 and 1850. Little |
| | information is available about the blacksmiths and small foundries with their water powered trip hammers that |
| | produced tools, stoves and other implements for the many villages of Liberty, Montville and the surrounding |
| | area before 1850. In contrast, a significant amount of data is available about major New England toolmakers |
| | and some Maine toolmakers who supplied the bustling downstream shipyards of the period. For information on |
| | later toolmakers, mills and tradesmen in Liberty and Montville, see the Davistown History Project. |
| | Davistown History Project | Status | Location |
| Agricultural Implements |
| TCR1008 | Dibble | photo | DTM |
| Forged steel and wood (beech?), 9" long, 4 3/4" point, unsigned. |
| This tool has a nicely turned handle. This tool is difficult to date, but is probably late 18th or early 19th century. |
| TH1001 | Dibble | DTM |
| Forged iron or natural steel and wood, 10 1/2" long, 5" dibble, unsigned. |
| Used for planting seeds. |
| TCR1001A | Grafting froe | photo | photo | DTM | MH |
| Forged iron, 8 5/8" long with a 3 1/4" blade, unsigned. |
| This tool is refashioned from an old file or rasp. A basic necessity for Davistown residents maintaining orchards in the 18th |
| and 19th centuries. |
| 42405P1 | Grain bucket | DTM |
| Wood with iron bail, 10 3/4" high, 6 1/4" diameter top, 5 1/2" diameter bottom, 1 1/2" wooden handle holders, unsigned. |
| This grain bucket came from a New Hampshire farm and has a red stain. It would have been handmade in a farm workshop. |
| It looks identical to 42405-P2, but is larger. Compare these to the factory-made pork barrel (102503-P3). |
| 42405P2 | Grain bucket | DTM |
| Wood with iron bail, 10" high, 6 3/8" diameter top, 5 1/2" diameter bottom, 1 1/4" wooden handle holders, unsigned. |
| This bucket looks identical to 42405-P1, but is smaller. |
| TCK1301 | Hay knife | DTM |
| Forged iron and steel and wood, 16" blade, 18" handle, unsigned. |
| TCK3000 | Hoe | DTM |
| Forged iron and wood, 9 3/4" long, 4 1/2" wide hoe, 4" long prongs, unsigned. |
| A typical early 19th century blacksmith made garden tool. |
| 101701T10 | Oxen shoe | DTM |
| Forged iron, 5 3/8" long, unsigned. |
| This smith-made shoe is unmarked and difficult to date. |
| 81602T13 | Oxen shoes | DTM |
| Forged iron, 4" long, unsigned. |
| These are typical farrier-made small sized oxen shoes, essential for maximizing the efficiency of the long work days of the |
| typical ox. |
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