BUENA PARK: Knott's Berry Farm Blacksmith in Ghost Town
Along the north side of Main Street a small saddle-tank steam locomotive
and borax train beside a real Blacksmith's shop greets guests and fans
of the Old West. A blacksmith in
a large leather apron stokes the hearth with bellows, then with a
hammer, forges the red hot iron on an anvil to shape souvenir horseshoes.
A working blacksmith is often available for guests to have ironworks
made.
ANAHEIM: Disneyland Pirate's Lair Tom Sawyer Island
W. Turner Blacksmith says, "The tools of me trade are forged in iron with fire and smoke. Give me a
length of steel in one hand and a fair wind to guide me. Aye, there's
nothing better - and nothing more a pirate needs." Explorer's Map of Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
W. Turner Blacksmith features props and show elements reminiscent of the
blacksmith shop from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black
Pearl in which the character of Will Turner is introduced.
BIG BEAR CITY: Big Bear Valley Historical Society Blacksmith
Shop
bigbearhistory.org/tag/blacksmithing/
Offers demonstrations of 1800's era stamp mill seasonally (closed during
winter snow - ski season.) One of only two working in all of California. See
how the miners of yesteryear crushed ore to get to the gold. Along with our
seven historical buildings from as far back as 1875 filled with interesting
artifacts, we have free gold panning for everyone, and a working blacksmith
shop. Watch them make their famous Pirate Peanut Butter knife.
BIG SUR: Point Sur State Historic Park
Carpenter / Blacksmith Shop (1907)
Until Hwy. 1 was opened to Big Sur in 1932, trips to Monterey took a
full day. This isolation required that the keepers do many of the
repairs at the light station. The carpenter/blacksmith shop was built in
1907 to facilitate repairs, including the extensive metal water piping
system and the cast-iron lantern on the lighthouse tower. Woodwork,
painting, and glass repairs were also done here.
CHICO: Patrick Ranch Blacksmith Shop
facebook.com/PRBlacksmithShop/
COLOMA: Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
A number of historic buildings and
sites including the working blacksmith shop,
the Price-Thomas and Papini homes, the
Mormon, James Marshall and Miner's cabins,
and the Indian bedrock mortar remain to
remind us of that tumultuous period.
COLUMBIA: Columbia State Historic Park
Parrotts Blacksmith Shop
Main Street
parrottsblacksmith.com
EUREKA: Blue Ox Mill Works Historic Park
blueoxmill.com
FORT ROSS:
Fort Ross State Historic Park
Settlement Ross was the first to have a full-time blacksmith (and, at
times,
two) in California.
GRASS VALLEY: Empire Mine State Historic Park
Blacksmith Shop
In the early days, equipment from door
hinges to pump covers and stamps was
fabricated in the company shops.
JAMESTOWN: Railtown 1897 State Historic Park Blacksmith
LEBEC: Fort Tejon State Historic Park Blacksmith Shop
During the 19th century the Post Blacksmith was of vital importance to military or civilian communities
and Fort Tejon was no different. The Blacksmith was a
master craftsman. The Blacksmith was not a Farrier, although he could shoe a
horse, his primary duty was to make all the hardware for the Fort's
building (hinges, bolts, latches, and special tools) and also make
repairs to wagons and other equipment as necessary. Safety is of utmost
concern with Park Volunteer Blacksmiths available for your classes visit.
The
tremendous need for safety and high level of training required to run the
Blacksmith Shop working with coal fired forges (more than 1500 degrees
Fahrenheit) requires restricted access to the forge area. Use of heavy leather gloves and eye protection
goggles for adults and children is recommended. The Fort has a supply of these for your use at this station.
It is important to clean up after each squad has finished their project and before the next
squad arrives; do not wait until the end of the day. Tools need to be cleaned and put
away at the end of the day as well.
Blacksmith's Shop equipment supplied by Fort Tejon
coal iron stock in various sizes bellows
leg vise Blacksmith’s tools table
anvil forge
swage block quench tank
LOMPOC: La Purisima Mission National Historic Landmark
Over the next years, the three smaller buildings were completed and
additional buildings reconstructed. It is considered the most completely
restored mission in California, with ten of the original buildings fully
restored and furnished, including the church, shops, quarters, and
blacksmith shop.
MARIPOSA:
Mariposa Museum and History Center
Blacksmith Shop
mariposamuseum.com/on-the-museum-grounds/the-blacksmith-shop/
MENDOCINO: Point Cabrillo Light Station
rehabilitate the Lighthouse, its lens, the Blacksmith/Carpenter Shop and
Oil House.
NOVATO: Olompali State Historic Park Blacksmith Shop
PLACERVILLE: Gold Bug Park
Blacksmith Shop
goldbugpark.org
The park's working Blacksmith Shop provides an accurate depiction and
demonstration of the importance of this ancient trade to the mining
industry.
SACRAMENTO:
Sutter's Fort Blacksmith Shop
parks.ca.gov
Blacksmithing was
probably the most important
profession on the frontier. The blacksmith had to take the raw imported
iron that Sutter
acquired and turn it into locks, into wheels, into just about everything
that was metal at the
Fort. You'll notice that this is an operational blacksmith shop that's
used several times a year
at the fort. We have a large bellows to provide the air that generates
the heat through the
forge, and the blacksmith has a lot of specialty tools. Nailsthink
about how many nails there
are holding this building, and all of the buildings of Sutter's Fort,
together. All of those nails
had to be manufactured right here in the blacksmith shop. Sutter had
many blacksmiths that
worked for him, and at times there were as many as five or six
blacksmith shops in operation
within the fort walls.
SAN DIEGO:
San Diego Old Town State Historic Park Blackhawk Livery Stables
parks.ca.gov/?page_id=28009
Now it serves as a blacksmith and woodworking demonstration area in the
park. From The Village Blacksmith
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1841.
Iron worked by the blacksmith was vital to
every economic aspect of our society. Besides
making horseshoes, blacksmiths made tools,
such as hammers, saws, wrenches, chisels,
etc. The farmer relied on blacksmiths for
shovels, axes, mattocks, and plowshares,
while items for the home included ladles,
pots, pans, trivets, and fireplace andirons.
When an object broke, the smith would repair
it.
When Mexico was under Spanish rule,
iron was manufactured in Spain and sent
to Mexico where it was worked into tools
and implements for California and the rest
of New Spain. There were neighborhoods
of blacksmiths in Mexico City that were
engaged in this work. Tools were shipped to
California for use in the Missions and Presidios.
A blacksmith in California was most often
involved in the maintenance and repair of
tools rather than forging entirely new objects.
The first expeditions to Alta California always
had blacksmiths who taught their trade to
the Indian people at the missions. With the
arrival of the Americans and wagons with
spoke wheels, the blacksmiths shoed horses
and refitted iron tires on wagons in addition
to repairing tools, farming implements,
cooking utensils, and weapons.
SANTA BARBARA: Casa del Herrero
(House of the Blacksmith)
casadelherrero.com
transported back to Montecito in the 1920s and 1930s the heyday of the
original owner George Fox Steedman. Designed by George Washington Smith,
the Casa is one of the finest examples of Spanish Colonial Revival
architecture in America. It is included on the National Register of
Historic Places, and maintains National Historic Landmark status in part
due to its eclectic mix of Country Place Era and Moorish-inspired
gardens.
SANTA CRUZ: Wilder Ranch State Park
Activities may include: wagon rides,
preparing period meals, forging metal in the blacksmith shop,
The building was restored in 1999.
SHASTA:
Shasta State Historic Park Blacksmith Shop
parks.ca.gov
Throughout the year, the blacksmith shop
is operated by Redding area blacksmith
volunteers. Demonstrations, classes, and
workshops are offered to the visiting public,
school groups, and during park events.