This Members Only Masterclass will be held over Zoom

The Blacksmith's Trade: A Vulgar Art or Curious Handy-Craft?   

The necessity of the Blacksmith’s trade in early America is beyond dispute. From weapons to wagons and horseshoes to household items, objects made with iron and steel were crucial to everyday life in the 18th and 19th centuries. David Scofield, Director of Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, will provide a brief glimpse at the ancient trade of blacksmithing with an overview of the smith’s work, his business, and his materials.

David Scofield is the director of Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, part of the Senator John Heinz History Center museum system. He began his 34-year museum career as a demonstrating craftsman at Old Salem in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where he practiced the 18th century trades of blacksmithing, carpentry, joinery, and white oak basket making. After working to develop a turn-of-the-century living history farm as a North Carolina state historic site, he moved to western Pennsylvania to be part of the Heinz History Center’s effort to develop Meadowcroft.

(Register online through the Member Registration website.)