Carpenter Shop

Carpenter Shop. . In 1866 this building was listed on maps as Fort Abercrombie's carpenter shop. In 1868, Assistant Surgeon W. H. Gardner described this building as having rooms for a blacksmith, carpenter, painter and saddler. By 1871, maps show this being used as a blacksmith and carpenter shop. , Frontier forts were often built quickly from local building materials. If timber was available, log buildings were commonly the first buildings on a fort. Enlisted soldiers were put to work felling trees and sawing lumber. It was hard work, but necessary if the soldiers wanted shelter for the winter. , This image shows how Fort Abercrombie may have looked in 1859. At this point in its history, Fort Abercrombie was located closer to the river. Notice all the log buildings. As a frontier fort became more established, log buildings such as these would be replaced by wood frame or brick structures. , Blacksmith , Blacksmiths, carpenters, brick makers, stone masons and other building trades were required to build and maintain frontier forts like Fort Abercrombie. Contractors were sometimes hired to assist with construction. Soldiers who had skills in these trades and others would often receive extra pay.