You might see a noumber of these small outbuildings when driving around Deerfield. They were generally know as craft houses, cobbler’s or “ten footer” shops. Being a Yankee farmer often meant having many different income streams. One possiblity was to make shoes. Shoes were either made in these small houses or leather was cut in a central location ( Epping, Derry or Portsmouth) and farmed out to home piece workers to complete the work.

Shops had lots of window to provide light for the craftsman. Sometimes they were attached to the main house. This one on Church Street was changed to a laundry facility at some point in time. The inside has a double wash tub and has hooks on opposite walls to string laundry lines. Do you have “out buildings” attached or stand alone?

Read more

• Shoemakers in a “ten-footer” shop.
• Daniel Hunkins Shoe Shop, Buttonwoo Museum, Haverhill MA
• A Humble Cobbler’s Shop Gets a New Life, Yarmouth MA
• Robert Mathews Custom Shoemaker, Deerfield NH