The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) was given a royal charter by the British Crown in 1670 which provided it with a trading monopoly over a vast domain in Canada. By the nineteenth Century, HBC had extended its empire into the Pacific Northwest. In 1825, HBC established Fort Vancouver on the Columbia River as the administrative center and principal supply depot of the Columbia Department, an area of about 700,000 square miles. Fort Vancouver has been part of the National Park System since 1948.
The blacksmith shop was an important part of the HBC posts. The blacksmiths not only repaired broken equipment, they also manufactured many items important to life at the post—nails, hinges, hangers, etc.—but also made items for trade such as axe heads, adzes, traps, and so on. The blacksmith shop at Fort Vancouver today has volunteer blacksmiths who demonstrate how to make some of these historic items.
Museums 101
Museums 101: The Fort Steele Blacksmith Shop (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: A Homesteader's Shack, a Blacksmith Shop, and a Paint Store (Photo Diary)
Garnet Ghost Town: Barn, Blacksmith's Shop, and Jail (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Nevada City Blacksmith Shop (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Blacksmith Shop and Saddle Shop
Museums 101: Saddles and More (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Saddles (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Anderson Homestead Barn (Photo Diary)