The Washburn Society recognizes supporters who make an annual contribution of $1,000 or more. These donors are crucial to honoring Ichabod and Henry Washburn’s hope for Mechanics Hall’s secure and enduring stewardship.

Ichabod and Henry Washburn were instrumental in the success of the Worcester County Mechanics Association and in the construction of Mechanics Hall.

Ichabod Washburn has been called the “quintessential Mechanic.” He was self-taught outside of his blacksmithing apprenticeship, subsequently inventing a new way of drawing wire from raw stock. He became a wealthy entrepreneur whose company, Washburn and Moen, was the predecessor of American Steel and Wire. Ichabod was a founding member and a president of the Mechanics Association; he chaired the building committee and contributed $10,000 toward the construction of Mechanics Hall. He supported the wider community with major charitable contributions and advocated education for all.

Henry Washburn, Ichabod’s brother, was president of the Mechanics Association when Mechanics Hall opened and dedicated the building on March 19, 1857, with these words:

“May the hand of time and the fates of fortune deal gently with this offspring of our love and labor, for unto succeeding generations do we desire to transmit this building, as an expression of the taste and skill of the mechanics of Worcester…”

The Washburn Society
The Washburn Society recognizes supporters who make an annual contribution of $1,000 or more. These donors are crucial to honoring the Washburn brothers’ hope for Mechanics Hall’s secure and enduring stewardship. In recognition of their generosity, members of this special group of supporters have various opportunities to develop a deeper relationship with Worcester’s iconic landmark.