Bolinder Blacksmith Shop

Bolinder Blacksmith Shop. . This shop was built by August William "Bill" Bolinder in the early 1940's and used for 40 years. Bill learned smithing from his father, John Lars who is credited with building the first "Mormon hay derrick"., In addition to shoeing horses and performing other routine jobs, Bill set steel tires on wagon wheels. He was often asked to remove axles from old cars and mount wagons on them. He also built numerous truck beds of steel., Bill's eyesight grew very bad in his later years, but he could find tools anywhere in the shop because he kept them in a certain place. He was a perfectionist...things had to be just right. He was heard to say, "If you think you have it fixed right, then put in a gusset plate or a bigger bolt and eliminate having to go back and fix it again.", Bill could tell the time of day by observing how the sun was shining through the cracks and onto the floor., Bill died January 6, 1979 at the age of 81., In the mid 1990's the blacksmith shop was moved from Grantsville to its present site near the Benson Grist Mill. The shop was restored and stocked with donated tools by volunteers.