Photo Archivist's Selection of the Month: February 2009

Blacksmiths in Stamford

Before the advent of automobiles, blacksmiths were an important part of local business. A blacksmith is defined as "a person who makes and repairs iron tools and horseshoes." Wikipedia (as usual handle with care) has an overview and historical details. the "first" blacksmith was Hephaestus and his Roman version, Vulcanus (Rubens: ''Vulcano forjando los rayos de Júpiter'' (siglo XVII) Museo del Prado (Madrid – Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons).

In 1892 according to the city directory Stamford had thirteen blacksmiths. Some of the same names show up in our photo collection in later years, so they were obviously family businesses.

"Neil Hugh" (actually Hugh Neil or Neill) is also listed under "Carriage Makers."

History of Stamford, Connecticut, from its settlement in 1641, to the present time by E.B. Huntington, has a list of businesses as of 1868 although it includes Darien which was then part of Stamford.

The largest number of photos we have are of James Burnes, the son of the above-mentioned Jas. Burns, whose business was at the corner of Stage and Canal Streets. Jas. Burnes is listed as living on Richmond Hill. The text below is from the back of the 1965 photo of Mr. Burns:

James Burnes at age 84

James Burnes' forge, ca. 1930.

The text below is taken from one of Carl Lobozza's picture books for the society, "Pictures from the Past," 1970, Page 60, describing the photo at right:

"Horse power was not a cheap means of transportation. Horses required daily care, were regularly shod and still had to be fed when idle. There were many blacksmith shops in Stamford whose primary business was the shoeing of horses. The Burnes blacksmith shop which stood until recently at Stage and Canal Streets was a good example of the general interior appearance of that type of establishment. The metal was heated at the forge, and hammered into a desired shape at the anvil, then cooled in the water barrel which shows at left of center."

One photo has the caption, "last standing local blacksmith shop as of 1967."

The aerial view below show the corner of Canal and Stage streets. All of this was demolished in the urban renewal of the late 1960s and replaced by the Stamford Town Center (map).

	Charles "Buck" Palomski

And Whitman Bailey chimed in too: "Interesting View of Burnes Blacksmith Shop."

download newspaper clipping of January 7, 1939

We add the usual warning: "At times, the accompanying vignettes are mostly folklore passed on to Mr. Bailey by residents of the areas where he was sketching. In those instances he had no way of determining the truth of the story. Nor have we. It is presented as a sidelight to the sketch. Therefore, researchers are cautioned to regard these tales as local color, interesting, thought provoking, but sometimes not entirely factual."

Another blacksmith on Canal Street was Arthur G. Jessup, 56 Canal.

Whitman Bailey also tells us (usual warning, see above) that "The Town's First Blacksmith Lived in Springdale." The ad below shows that by 1892 there was an V.F. Bates & Co. downtown, on 17 Gay Street.

Download newspaper clipping of March 1, 1947

Images © Stamford Historical Society

Other downtown blacksmith shops
North Stamford/Long Ridge

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