During the massive clean-up of old metal at Koulas Farm a few years back, we managed to save something pretty special before it ended up in the dumpster.
These are two old steel wheels, most likely wagon or early truck wheels, probably dating back to the early 1900s. They were light enough that I was able to load them into my truck and get them out of the scrap pile. When you spend enough time working around old farms, you learn quickly that sometimes the smallest pieces of iron tell the biggest stories.
For a while they sat at Sunny Meadow Farm. The original plan was to use them as the centerpiece for two historic-style benches for the park. Unfortunately, the town later asked that they be removed from the site. Rather than lose them, we moved them to one of our off-site storage areas, where they have been safely sitting ever since.
I recently reached out to the Chelmsford Historical Society and asked if they might be interested in them for the Byam Homestead. Their response was immediate. They would love to see the wheels turned into finished benches and installed at the Homestead as a historic feature.
So now we have the wheels and a great location. What we need is someone to bring the project to life.
Originally a Scout was planning to build the benches, but he ended up choosing a different project. That leaves us with a perfect opportunity for someone else who wants to take on a meaningful build.
The idea would be simple but beautiful. The steel wheels become the core structure for two benches, with wood seating built around them. The finished benches would then be installed at the Byam Homestead along with a small plaque explaining the farming history behind the wheels and where they were found.
As Eagle Scout projects go, this one checks many boxes. It would involve designing the benches, sourcing some welding help, building the wooden seating, organizing a volunteer build crew, coordinating with the Historical Society, and installing the benches with some basic landscaping around them.
In the end you would leave behind something that visitors to the Homestead could sit on for decades, maybe generations, while also preserving a physical link to Chelmsford’s farming past.
I will admit I originally hoped these wheels would stay at Sunny Meadow, but the Byam Homestead is a fantastic second location and, honestly, a very fitting place for them.
So if you are a Scout looking for a project or someone with woodworking and welding skills who is in favor of leaving a lasting piece of history in town, please let me know. These wheels have already survived more than a hundred years. It would be nice to see them turned into something people can enjoy for the next hundred years.