Horseshoe

Length: 7", Width: 6", Depth: 1.6" Material: Iron Weight: 1¾ Pounds Date: Mid - 1800's

This horseshoe was once used on a large draft horse or mule at Fort McHenry. Notice there is still a nail on the right side of the shoe! This nail has a square head to hold it in place on the hoof of the horse or mule. These types of nails were used in the mid-1800's by the blacksmiths who worked in the stables located on the grounds just outside the Star Fort. It was found with cleats and a toe calk which were primarily used on heavy draft animals.

Before the invention of the automobile and the truck, large draft horses and mules pulled the wagons and cannon carriages at Fort McHenry. Early maps and drawings show the locations of several stables on the property that were used for the care of these animals. This was also where the blacksmith forged the iron to make the horseshoes for the animals. Unfortunately, none of these 19th century structures located outside the Star Fort survive today.

In 1983, a project was undertaken at the western edge of the property at Fort McHenry. A septic system was being installed prior to the construction of public restrooms. Archeologist William Stokinger directed an investigation of the area to determine if there was any evidence of early structures. Maps and drawings made by the military in the 1800's identified a small structure in the area where the archeologists were working. The site base map indicates the approximate location where the shoe was found. Because the team uncovered a number of square headed nails and pieces of horseshoes, it is likely that this area of the land was used for a small stable. It is also logical that the animals would have been cared for at some distance from the living quarters of the officers and the soldiers who lived inside the Star Fort. The land at the far west side of the property was not acquired by the military until 1836. So, this horseshoe would have been used after 1836 and before the military started using factory made nails in the late 1800's.

Many of the artifacts in the park's archeology collection reveal both the use of the area where they were found, as well as the particular function of the item itself. The size of this horseshoe also provides a visual image of the immense hooves of work animals which assisted with daily chores at Fort McHenry!

* References:
Berkebile, Donald H.

Horse-drawn Commercial Vehicles. New York, New York: Dover Publications, 1989.

Hartley, Elwyn.

The Encyclopedia Of The Horse. London, England: Dorling Kindeslay Inc., 1994.

Stratton, Ezra M.

The World on Wheels. New York, New York: Stratton, 1878.

Catalog number: FOMC 14030, Accession number: FOMC 295