Benjamin Blacksmith Shop

Mackinac at Work.  

This is Mackinac.

Originally built in the 1880s, Robert Benjamin and later his son, Herbert, ran a blacksmith shop into the 1960s. The contents of the shop were moved to the reconstructed building in 1970. The Benjamin’s fixed carriage wheels and shoed horses in the early days and repaired lawnmowers and maintained yacht motors in later years.

Highlights

Click to enlarge.

Live Interpretation

Following in the Benjamin’s footsteps, a blacksmith demonstrates and explains traditional blacksmithing techniques like forming hot iron into fireplace tools, hinges, and household items. The Blacksmith is on duty Tuesday-Saturday.

Details

The Benjamin Blacksmith Shop is maintained today in a similar fashion to how it was in the 1950s, during the latter years of the Benjamin’s ownership. The blacksmith is dressed as a typical blacksmith would have dressed in the 1950s, and music of the era can be heard while they’re at work.