Just read that a lot of old blacksmith shops used to be built over a spring

Found it in a book about 19th century trade buildings at my local library. It said they did it to have a steady water supply for quenching and to help fight fires, which makes total sense. The book mentioned a specific shop in Vermont that was built right over a small creek. Has anyone ever worked in or seen a forge set up like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

miller.rowan2mo ago

Oh that's a classic setup! I read an article once about how they'd sometimes dig a channel right through the dirt floor of the shop so the water flowed under the anvil stand. Can you imagine the sound of that running water all day while you're working? Seems like it would be peaceful, but also really smart for keeping things damp and safe. Makes you wonder how many of those old cellars or foundations we see now used to have a little stream running through them.

victor_robinson1mo ago

Actually that sounds like a nightmare. Constant damp air would rust every tool in the place, not just the anvil. Peaceful? More like a mold factory.

anna5782mo ago

That "peaceful" sound would drive me nuts after an hour. Running water underfoot in a workshop sounds like a great way to spread damp everywhere, not just where you want it. I've seen old forges with that setup, and the constant moisture rotted out the wooden supports for everything nearby. It seems more like a hassle than a smart system.

jade5172mo ago

Yeah, that "rotted out the wooden supports" part is exactly what I was worried about. Sounds like a real mess to deal with.