The Economies of Twentieth-Century Blacksmith Shops in Idaho

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In March 2022, the site of an early twentieth-century blacksmith shop on my family’s 90-acre sheep ranch in Montour Valley of southwestern Idaho was excavated due to dilapidation and subsequent collapse of the structure. In the early twentieth century, the valley was the site of intensive agriculture and ranching, and the establishment of the railroad in the nearby town of Montour led to a bustling industrial hub. Through the investigation of recovered historical artifacts, I will explore the role of small, individually operated blacksmith shops in rural Idaho, which have little to no in-depth research. My personal connection to the site offers an idiomatic approach to the archaeological study of blacksmith shops. The contribution of this paper to the history of Idaho will provide a richer understanding of the role of smaller, domestic blacksmiths.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37398.0