Oliver Ames

Oliver Ames (February 4, 1831 – October 22, 1895) was a U.S. political figure and financier. He was the 35th Governor of Massachusetts (1887–1890). He was the son of Oakes Ames (1804–1873), a railroad baron and United States Congressman who was censured in the Credit Mobilier scandal, brother of Oakes Angier Ames, and the nephew of Oliver Ames, Jr..

Life and career

Ames was born in North Easton, Massachusetts on February 4, 1831, to Oakes Ames and Eveline Orville (Gilmore) Ames. His father was the owner of a shovel factory, which became the largest such business in the country. Ames was educated in the local schools, and then attended private academies in North Attleborough and Leicester. He was briefly employed in the family's factory before enrolling in Brown University.

Ames then entered the family business, where he learned all aspects of its manufacturing processes and worked as a traveling salesman. When his grandfather died in 1863 he became a partner in the business. During these years his grandfather, uncle, and father greatly expanded the business, investing in railroads and other industrial concerns. For ten years, Ames superintended the mechanical business of the establishment, and on his father's death assumed control of his numerous financial trusts, including shares in the Union Pacific Railroad.

Ames Shovel Shop

The Ames Shovel Shops, also known as just Ames Shovel Shop, is a historic 19th century industrial complex located in North Easton, Massachusetts. It is part of the North Easton Historic District, and consists of several granite buildings constructed between 1852 and 1885, along with several newer additions and outbuildings dating to about 1928.

The site is adjacent to the H. H. Richardson Historic District of North Easton, which includes several buildings designed by noted architect Henry Hobson Richardson, commissioned by the Ames family, owners of the shovel company.

In April 2009, the shops were named one of the 11 most endangered historic sites in the United States, by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, due to the pending proposal to redevelop the main portion of the site into residences.

However, in November 2009, an agreement was reached for a scaled-down development, endorsed by the National Trust. Construction began in April 2012, and is expected to take about 18 months.