The Gunshop at Jerusalem Mill Village
This building, popularly known as the Gunshop has served many purposes through its long history. Built circa 1770 the structure has been restored and presently serves as the center piece for Jerusalem Mill Villages colonial living history program.
This 18 ft. x 20 ft., two-story stone building, located behind the mill, has been used over the years for various crafts associated with the mill and Village.
According to tradition of the Lee family, this building was used during the American Revolution when David Lee's workers made black walnut musket stocks and assembled muskets for the Maryland Militia. In May of 1781, David Lee and Peter Bond were "severally recognized in the sum of one thousand Pounds Gold and Silver", possibly for this service. For this reason, this small building is often referred to today as the "Gun Shop" or "Gun Factory".
Later, the structure was used by David Lee for the skilled workers he needed to provide flour barrels, tubs, casks, and other materials required in the daily operation of the mill. It is also believed that the workers branched out as needed to make chairs, woodwork trim, balusters, and porch trim. Over the years, the building served as a cabinet maker's shop, a cider mill, a cannery, and a residence. On the 1860 plat, it is listed as the "C-shop" and is most likely the "Cooper Shop" listed in Ralph Lee's 1862 Estate Inventory.
