Benjamin Blacksmith Shop facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Benjamin Blacksmith Shop
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Market Street Mackinac Island, Michigan |
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| Part of | Mackinac Island (ID66000397) |
| Designated NHLDCP | October 15, 1966 |
The Benjamin Blacksmith Shop is a cool place where you can see how blacksmiths work. It's also a museum! This shop has been open since before 1885. You can find it on Market Street on Mackinac Island in Michigan. It's right next to the Biddle House.
This shop is part of the Mackinac Island State Park. Mackinac Island is special because cars aren't allowed there. People mostly get around using horses. Because of this, the Benjamin Blacksmith Shop is a great place to learn about horseshoeing, which is the art of making and fitting horseshoes.
Discover the Benjamin Blacksmith Shop
The Benjamin Blacksmith Shop is a historic building that shows how important blacksmiths were in the past. It's a living museum where you can watch skilled craftspeople at work. They create metal items and even show how horseshoes are made.
A Look Back: Shop History
The shop was first known as the Star Blacksmith Shop. In 1885, a blacksmith named Robert Benjamin bought it. He was also the local postmaster! For 80 years, the shop was in a slightly different spot on Market Street.
Mackinac Island wasn't very big back then. So, the Benjamin family couldn't just focus on one type of work. Their shop was a "mixed smithy." This means they did all kinds of metalwork. They made things for people and also put shoes on horses. This helped both the many summer visitors and the smaller winter population.
After blacksmith Herbert Benjamin passed away in 1965, the shop was almost closed. But in 1968, Robert "Bob" Benjamin, who inherited the shop, gave it to the Mackinac Island State Park Commission. They moved the building to its current spot next to the Biddle House. Then, they carefully fixed it up to look like it did in the 1950s.
Blacksmithing Today
Since 1968, the Benjamin Blacksmith Shop has been a popular tourist attraction. It mostly stopped doing horseshoeing work, as that continued at other places on the island. Instead, it became a place to see amazing craft metalwork.
You can often see blacksmiths working here during the summer. They use heat and tools to shape mild steel. They create items for the State Park to use. They also make things to sell to visitors. It's a great way to see a traditional craft in action.
To visit the shop, you usually need a ticket for Fort Mackinac. Since 1985, the shop has also hosted a special Blacksmith Convention. This event usually happens on the first weekend of August. It brings together blacksmiths and fans of the craft.
