Dorchester Pottery Works, Historic pottery works in Dorchester, Massachusetts, US.
The Dorchester Pottery Works is a brick industrial building on Victory Road that contains a massive low-domed beehive kiln approximately 30 feet (9 meters) in diameter with iron-banded walls. This structure housed pottery production equipment used for firing stoneware and later decorated tableware over many decades of operation.
George Henderson founded the works in 1895 to manufacture stoneware products, continuing operations until closure in 1979. The factory served the local community across multiple generations as an important economic employer.
The factory produced agricultural containers until the 1940s before shifting to decorated tableware with a distinctive gray and blue palette.
The site is now managed by Bay Cove Human Services, with the kiln room kept accessible for exhibitions and educational programs about industrial heritage. Visitors can explore the grounds to learn about the region's manufacturing history and craftsmanship.
The kiln features special iron bands that allowed the walls to expand safely during high-temperature firing. This engineering solution was essential for the long-term stability and operation of the structure.
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