Blacksmith Shop

Blacksmith Shop. . Blacksmithing is the working of iron. It dates back to around 1400 B.C. and by 1000 B.C. the use of iron had spread to the point that it surpassed copper and gave its name to the Iron Age. , Blacksmithing reached its golden age during the High Middle Ages, which occurred from around 1100 A.D. to 1500 A.D. Armies were outfitted with their weapons and armor completely by blacksmiths and by 1500 A.D. plate armor worn by knights was almost an art form in its design and quality. With the advent of firearms and the resulting obsolescence of plate armor, the blacksmith began to concentrate on the manufacturing of more household items like hinges, nails, horseshoes, and tools. During America's colonial period and the subsequent westward migration, the blacksmith became an integral part of everyday life. It was commonplace to find a blacksmith shop in most colonial and frontier towns. They kept wagons rolling and plows working. , Once the industrial revolution of the mid 1800's took off, the blacksmith began to fade away. By the 1900's most had been replaced by factories and the few that remained only managed to hold out for a couple more decades. Today, the art of blacksmithing is mainly just that, art. However, many blacksmiths incorporate this art into useful household items like outdoor cooking utensils and historic reproductions. , This museum’s blacksmith shop is modeled after those typically found from 1900 through 1920’s.