Early Boston-Area Brickmakers

I have now been studying the Charlestown, Massachusetts ceramic remains at the Boston Archaeology Department for four-months. Until recently, I had not paid much attention to the dozens of boxes of bricks that were unearthed. It was never really a consideration, but after opening box after box recently - I now feel there is an important story to be told.

Charlestown, Massachusetts Bricks

Maker Unknown

Likely 17th or 18th Century

Who were these early American brickmakers? Were the bricks imported into Charlestown from area potters? Where did they come from? If imported, how were they transported? Many of the structures built in Charlestown were made of brick so there was an obvious demand and need. Could there be a local Charlestown brickmaker who worked alongside the town's early potters? This idea currently fascinates me and is a part of my studies.

Charlestown, Massachusetts Bricks

Maker Unknown

Likely 17th or 18th Century

The eighteenth-century brickmakers of Boston and Medford, Massachusetts are well-documented. The Medford makers especially, who were responsible for supplying the bricks to build a major portion of Medford's community.

Faneuil Hall in Boston contained many brick structures. I do not have the answer, but it is assumed that their supplies came from a Boston maker. Does this stand true for Charlestown? Was each community self-contained with supplies from its own makers? 

Eighteenth-century Charlestown reportedly employed at least forty potters in nearly a dozen workshops. Each kiln used to fire the potter's work was built from bricks. It is doubtful the potters manufactured their own bricks. Therefore, it is assumed bricks were purchased from an outside maker. Below is a sketch drawing of Hervey Brook's kiln of Goshen, Connecticut. Brooks was a nineteenth-century potter, but the idea of his kiln remained similar to the structures the early Charlestown potters may have used. Regardless of the form, brick structures and this method are still used by some potters today.

 Sketch of Hervey Brooks Kiln - Goshen, Ct

Early to Mid 19th Century

Photo Courtesy: Old Sturbridge Village - Sturbridge, Ma

Many questions have resulted from what I have seen with the artifacts. To begin: who was was this brickmaker or makers that supplied the redware potters bricks for their kilns? It is interesting and probably not an idea that is studied as much as other fields of interest in American history.

Notice the glaze on some of the following bricks. This indicates use in a potters kiln. Also notice the heat the examples in this first picture were exposed to. It is likely a result of burning in the kiln, but imagine if you can, if this was the result of the extreme heat caused at the fires set by the English at the Battle of Bunker Hill. All these examples without a doubt witnessed the battle and the town-wide fire.

 Charlestown, Massachusetts Bricks

Used as Part of a Potter's Kiln

Maker Unknown

Likely 17th or 18th Century

 Charlestown, Massachusetts Bricks

Used as Part of a Potter's Kiln

Maker Unknown

Likely 17th or 18th Century

Charlestown, Massachusetts Bricks

Used as Part of a Potter's Kiln

Maker Unknown

Likely 17th or 18th Century



At this time, I will tell you that the remains of at least two potters kilns were recovered as part of the archaeology project undertaken in the 1980s in Charlestown. However, I will not report which of the many workshops are in the collection. I will also identify that through my research, I have made some wonderful progress with who these brickmakers may have been. It alone is a wonderful story and its relevance still stands true today. The potentional family of brickmaker's name was synonymous with last week's horrific bombings in Boston and the dedication of one Boston hospital. This information will be released at a later time.

I feel the story of early Boston-area brickmakers may be just as fascinating as the early redware makers, early imports, Faneuil Hall, Charlestown and such. The end-product may not have any where near the appeal, but the brick-use, work and story of these skilled makers is captivating. Each working-class entity ultimately worked together in society to build the area we know today as Boston and Charlestown and the role of these brickmakers will eventually be defined.

If it were not for these seventeeth and eighteenth-century brickmakers, the wonderful examples of early domestic redware may never have been produced. Whomever they were, will be defined in my writing. I do currently know part of the story and I am very excited with it.

Possibly Domestic Made Redware
Chamber Pot
18th Century
Found in a Charlestown, Massachusetts Privy in the City Square District

The early bricks were not only used for kilns, but for homes, taverns, privies, gardens, roads and more. Bricks are made from red clay. The clay is the same type that potters used for producing redware. There are reports of potters crossing over into both industries, but in most cases the maker was only exclusive to one.

Plenty more to come...