Pasadena History: Blacksmiths Build Boats for $15

Here is your weekly dose of some Pasadena history thanks to The Pasadena Peninsula by Isabel Shipley Cunningham:

Imagine driving around Pasadena and seeing a blacksmith set up on every corner. In 1912, that may have been the case. It was common for people to travel by horse-drawn vehicles, making blacksmiths crucial to Pasadena residents.

“Blacksmiths were as essential in the days of horse-drawn vehicles as service stations are today,” wrote Cunningham. “William Thomas Stallings, who farmed at Pinehurst until his children were grown, built a blacksmith shop on Mountain Road at Lake Shore [Drive] in 1912.

“He had learned his trade from Edward J. Hines, the local blacksmith for several decades, and he was known for his fine craftsmanship. Tom Stallings enjoyed shoeing horses, making farm wagons, and repairing farm equipment. He would build a 16-foot boat for fifteen dollars plus materials. He also made coffins without charge for poor families. When he built a wagon, he made every part and forged the iron wheel rims.”

Be sure to check back next Wednesday for more Pasadena history.