Your Town, Your Life: Taunton – the ‘Silver City’
By Alana Cerrone
For this week’s ‘Your Town, Your Life’ we take you to Taunton, Massachusetts, which is actually one of the oldest cities in America. The city has had a unique way of leaving its mark around the country, and the world. But it’s a legacy that’s disappearing from the area.
It’s known as the ‘Silver City’. Back in the 19th century, Taunton was home to a huge number of high-quality silversmiths. Fast forward to 2015 and the silversmiths may be gone…but the legacy remains.
In the late 1800’s, Taunton was the place-to-be for silversmiths and metalworkers.
“Blacksmithing and ironworks…was a longtime industry…that background is what led the skilled workers here, ” says Katie MacDonald, Director and Ruby Winslow Linn Curator at the Old Colony Historical Society.
There were well over 50 incorporated businesses across the city, the largest and most well-known being Reed & Barton.
“The factory was gigantic and employed so many people that their relatives still live here – and their descendants”
Now, Reed & Barton, the oldest and last silversmith in the city, is closing.
But Taunton’s rich – and shiny – history lives on.
“Even though it’s not making silver it’s still prominent in people’s memories for sure.”
While there may not be any active silver production here in Taunton today, preserving items like these helps maintain Taunton’s title as the ‘Silver City.’
The Old Colony Historical Society is home to hundreds and hundreds of iconic pieces of Taunton silver…mostly everyday household items donated by family.
“We have over 600 pieces from Reed & Barton alone…”
But Taunton’s claim to fame wasn’t just teapots and silverware. A Taunton iron forge made one of the anchors for the U.S.S. Constitution. Reed & Barton produced the medals for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. And at some point, the story goes that an emperor in Japan saw a Reed & Barton coffee urn and loved it so much, he ordered one for himself.
Some of Taunton’s silver pieces have made their way around the world, but others may be as close as your china cabinet.
“If you find a piece of silver check the bottom…definitely look for a mark if you can.”
You can check out the collection of silver items for yourself at the Old Colony Historical Society right off of Taunton Green.
(C) WLNE-TV 2015
