Blacksmith Shop

A Blacksmith Shop was a vital part of any self-sustaining New England farm. The forge was used to form iron by heating and hammering it to create many useful tools and hardware. The Waters Farm was no exception. The origianl Shop was operated for the Waters own use until the death of Nathan Waters in 1878. It fell into disrepair and was torn down in 1890 according to Nathan’s great dranddaughter, Drothea Waters Moran. This Blacksmith Shop is dedicated to this community and to the volunteers who made the shop possible by offering their labors, skills, materials, and equipment so generously.

Captain Cornelius Putnam was born in Sutton on January 28, 1782 and died at the age of 81 years in 1863. He was a blacksmith by trade and was also Captai of the Oxford Militia. Cornelius’ daughter, Ulva, was married in 1831 to Nathan Waters, grandson of Stephen Waters, who built the Waters Farm house in 1757.

Russell Sibley Putnam, whose mother was born in the Waters Farm house, was the fifth generation to own the Captain’s home and Blacksmith Shop located on the corner of Sutton Avenue and Joe Jenny Road in Oxford. After the estate was sold, he generously gave the bellow and tools used by the Putnam family for untold years to the Waters Farm. Russell dedicated the Blacksmith Shop during a ceremony on October 1, 1995 .