Ornamental Separator

Historic Trade: Blacksmith

Trades

CW Admission Required

Handicap Accessible

Open today until 5:00 p.m.

  • Monday

    9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

  • Tuesday

    9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

  • Wednesday

    9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

  • Thursday

    9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

  • Friday

    9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

  • Saturday

    9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

  • Sunday

    9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The Revolutionary War wasn't won through battles alone. To keep pace with the might of British industry, Virginia desperately needed a new armoury. Watch our blacksmiths take red-hot iron from the fires of their forges and hammer it into a variety of tools, hardware, and weapons.

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Nerves of Steel

The Winds of Change

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Blacksmiths begin their day by lighting fires in the forges outfitted with bellows and a hood to carry away smoke. Once the fires are roaring, they heat bars of iron and use sledges weighing up to 12 pounds to hammer the heated bars into various shapes. The Blacksmiths work with other trades to make tools and other materials, such as nails for the Carpenters.

DIY-ers & Makers Itinerary

See the time before power tools and meet our world-class artisans in the Historic Trades. Must see for DIY and makers of all ages!

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Historic Trades

Discover craftsmanship in more than 20 trades, where modern-day practitioners use 18th-century tools and techniques to apprentice in — and eventually master — blacksmithing, woodworking or gunsmithing, just to name a few.

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