Designed
by our former
Executive
Director, Scott
Kodger, and built
by our gifted
Construction
Supervisor, Terry
Traster, this
building was
completed in 1999,
taking less than
six months to
construct. Ninety
percent of the
materials used to
build the shop
date before the
Civil War,
including a period
slate roof, hand
hewn and notched
timbers, bracing
wires, and hand
carved, sandstone
blocks from
Amherst.
Thanks to swinging doors on each side of the Blacksmith Shop, up to 65 children or adults may watch a single blacksmith demonstration with a clear, unobstructed view. Each bracing pole used to prop up these doors is in itself a work of art, featuring portraits of animals, native leaves, nuts, or flowers--all handmade by our talented group of blacksmiths.
Our Blacksmith Shop has been an instant success and is home to our "Fire and Iron: Blacksmithing" program. Our volunteer blacksmiths produce handrails, hinges, nails and other hardware for use throughout our Sandstone Museum Center.
