The Old Hockinson Blacksmith Whose Anvil Could Be Heard for Miles

January 1, 2023

Period-style early Hockinson work scene accompanying the story of the town blacksmith and his anvil

Older Hockinson residents remembered Charles Sandberg's blacksmith shop by sound as much as by sight.

A historical feature about Sandberg describes the fiery forge and noisy anvil of his shop. In an open rural landscape, the repeated strike of hammer on iron became part of the sound of a working community.

Sandberg's trade included horseshoeing, wagon repair, wheel work, plowshare repair, woodworking and farm-equipment repair. As Hockinson moved into the automobile era, his work adapted as well. The account remembers him using an acetylene torch to repair an early automobile stage operating between Vancouver and Hockinson.

That makes the blacksmith shop a useful symbol of transition. Sandberg worked in the horse-and-wagon economy but lived long enough to apply the same practical skills to newer machines.

Explore our Hockinson Forge / Anvil heritage collection, inspired by the documented Sandberg blacksmith story.

Historical sources

“Hockinson Old Timers Recall Fiery Forge, Noisy Anvil of Charles Sandberg's Shop,” Ted Van Arsdol
Historic Charles Sandberg blacksmith-shop photograph, approximately 1915