Blacksmith Shop
The blacksmith provided an essential service to the French family and to the entire community. He not only made horseshoes, but also nails, utensils, tools, door latches, wagon wheels, branding irons, and many more items of metal for frontier homes and businesses. This shop was moved here from St. Augustine, TX, and still works!
The blacksmith began by building a very hot fire, using a bellows to pump up the flame to as high as 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. He wore a thick leather apron for protection from the heat and stray sparks. Using large tongs, he placed a piece of unshaped iron into the fire. When it was hot and very soft, he pulled it out and laid it on an anvil. With a heavy hammer, he beat the soft metal into the desired shape, dousing the finished product into a pail of cold water to cool.
