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The Henry Cole Company was founded in 1914 as a manufacturer of lamp sockets and molded insulation. The company operated out of Old Colony Avenue in South Boston, even supplying Henry Ford with the ignition switches for his first Ford Motor Co. automobile. Later combined with the F.C. Hersee Company in 1935, the Cole Hersee Company continued to do their work out of the early nineteenth-century industrial buildings that at the time, made up much of South Boston.

While the inscription “Home of the Cole-Hersee Co. Products” still adorns the facade of the former office, manufacturing, and distribution facilities, the buildings have been re-envisioned into a variety of creative uses including pickle ball courts, rock climbing, restaurants, and bars. The original beams, exposed concrete, and tall ceilings remain, which are now hallmark features of the 2M square foot development. On the exterior, graphic murals depict former employees of the company, another nod to the site’s past. Thanks to Iron Works, the sidewalk along Old Colony Street is full of life, as the Southie community flocks to the various local businesses that fill the commercial spaces.

This bricks-and-mortar “glow up” adds vibrancy while celebrating the industrial heritage of the neighborhood, which is undergoing rapid change. Like many other areas of Boston, new development and modern architecture is redefining this part of South Boston. Nearly all of the industrial buildings have, or soon will be, lost to this evolution, making the Iron Works site a critical reminder of the industrial history and identity of Southie.

Filmmaker: Padriac Farma
Illustrator: Laurea McLeland
Producer: Matthew Dickey