A view of the forge at Saugus Iron Works, as well as the rolling and slitting mill. The forge used a large hammer to compress the iron. Forging strenghened the iron, which, right out of the blast furnace, was brittle. The rolling and slitting mill would make bars of iron that could be cut into things like nails. Water from the Saugus River powered both. Photo credit: Alex Demas, USGS.