Many know founding father Paul Revere for his Revolutionary War heroism when he warned the minutemen of Massachusetts of the approaching British troops—a journey later memorialized in the Longfellow poem “Paul Revere’s Ride.” After the war, though, Revere continued to leave his mark on the newly independent country in a different manner.
Revere, born and raised in Boston, pioneered the production of rolled copper and was the first American to successfully roll copper into sheets. The silversmith built a foundry in 1787 in Boston’s North End and quickly became a premier metal producer.
By the end of the 1700s, the United States Navy desperately needed copper to outfit the hulls of ships tasked with protecting the Eastern Seaboard. Confident in the quality of his copper, which he believed rivaled that of his English competitors, Paul Revere sought to eliminate the need for importing copper sheets. Instead, in October of 1801, after winning the contract from the United States Navy to roll copper, Revere founded North America’s first copper mill in a town just south of Boston: Canton, Massachusetts.
Revere’s original copper mill has been integral to Massachusetts and the United States since its inception. Products made at the mill produced various products, including church bells, roofing, and siding. Notably, its copper was used for the original Massachusetts State House’s original sheeting before being replaced with 23-carat gold leaf during renovations in 1874. The mill also supplied metal fittings for the USS Constitution, further cementing its historical significance in Massachusetts.
Revere’s descendants have also been involved in the business for generations. The mill remains in business, now known as Revere Copper Products. Revere Copper has been a key supplier at crucial times in American history. During World War II, with more than 60 percent of its production dedicated to the United States Navy, Revere Copper became known as the “Arsenal of Democracy.” Today, business is involved in the production of copper, brass, and bronze, and is a leader in the architectural industry.
While Revere Copper has since moved its headquarters to Rome, New York, it still retains the honor of being one of America’s oldest manufacturing companies – a historical legacy that began in Massachusetts.
