Ames Shovel Shop

Ames Shovel Shop is an industrial complex made of granite buildings positioned along a pond in North Easton, with multiple structures built between 1852 and 1885. The site features the solid stone architecture typical of 19th-century factories, designed for efficient manufacturing operations.

The shop started as a small workshop and grew by the mid-1800s into one of the world's largest shovel manufacturers. During the Civil War, it supplied tools to the Union Army, playing a role in the conflict's outcome.

The complex demonstrates how craft skills from a small town became known across the world and shaped the community's identity. The buildings today show visitors how a single type of manufacturing could build and define an entire region.

The site now functions as a residential community with apartments and a shared facility, while keeping the original stone buildings intact. Visitors can explore the grounds and view the industrial structures from various angles around the pond.

The factory designed special shovel types for gold miners during the California Gold Rush, contributing to the expansion of the American West. These custom tools became essential for mining efficiency and helped spread the brand's reputation globally.