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= The James D. Driggs Shipsmith = The James D. Driggs Shipsmith is currently located on the grounds of Mystic Seaport Museum.

Opened by James Driggs in 1885 when he was 65 years old, this shop was originally located in New Bedford, Massachusetts on the edge of what was called Merrill's Wharf at the time the shop was built but is now known as Homer’s Wharf. James Driggs downsized to this smaller shop from a larger one which he had operated with his former business partner Joseph Dean. The old shop was located nearby on a street called Driggs Lane and had 5 forges whereas this one has 2. The downsize likely had to do with his age and the decline of the whaling industry which was the primary market for his goods.

Change of Ownership
In 1902 James D. Driggs sold the shop to Ambrose J. Peters who ran the shop until he died in 1918. It was during the time that A.J. Peters owned the shop that the back storage space was added to the building. Upon his death the shop transferred ownership to his brother Charles E. Peters who had occasionally worked alongside A.J., Charles Peters ran the shop continuing to make whalecraft until 1924 when he passed away. Charles' widow sold the shop in 1925.

Moving the Shop
By 1925 the whaling industry in New Bedford was effectively over and there was not much use for a shipsmith anymore. At this time Edward Howland Robinson Green purchased the shop and its contents to have on display alongside the Charles W. Morgan as a relic of the whaling industry and had the building moved to his estate in Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

In 1944 the organization known as the Marine Historical Association (Now Mystic Seaport Museum) purchased the James D. Driggs Shipsmith for $50. It was disassembled and brought to Mystic, CT by truck.

Current Use
Since it came to Mystic the shop has been used for talks and demonstrations on the art of shipsmithing by museum staff. It is still used to make and repair metal pieces for ships and museum purposes. Smithing classes are taught in this shop to the public as well as school groups. As part of the Williams-Mystic college program students have the option of learning the trade of smithing in this shop.

On screen appearances
An episode of the TV show Forged in Fire was filmed on site for season 9 which premiered in June 2022.