Today’s video is all about the Pioneer Mechanics Shops located on Lake Street in Burlington, Vermont. (Or Pioneer Mechanics’ Shops, according to the writer of the information on the Historic Sites and Structures Survey.)
The original four buildings were built in 1850, but burned down in 1858. Three were rebuilt later that year. Eventually, there would be a dozen of these structures down at the waterfront.
The purpose you ask? It was to draw businesses to Burlington’s waterfront by encouraging industrial growth. The “pioneer” portion of the name referred to what we would call incubator businesses nowadays. Each building was divided equally in size into four business spaces. And each space was filled with the same type of machinery. These were mechanics’ shops, after all.
Well, these Pioneer Mechanics Shops were a HUGE success. And were so until the later 1800’s. Watch my video to learn more and see the walk-around of the building. I expect you’ll enjoy the north end of the building as much as I!
