When completed, the Woodshop-Smithy building will house the park's woodshop and blacksmith shop. As of our last update, only a few doors and windows were needed to finish the building.

    While the Woodshop-Smithy is not strictly an historic structure, the construction of the building has been an historic event. The entire building has been constructed as a "living history project." Volunteers and staff dressed in period attire began construction in 1985. Utilizing the tools, techniques and materials of Wm. B. Ide a century and a half earlier, they began cutting mortise and tenon joints in the huge 8"x 8" cedar timbers of the main frame.  In June, 1992, a period barnraising was held and the frame was raised by a crew of thirteen. Since then, the roof, porches and siding have been added. Currently, the doors and windows are being constructed by hand as they would have been in the early 1850s.*

    Though not yet completed, the Woodshop-Smithy building is currently being used during living history programs to house traditional woodworking and other interpretive activities. When the building is completed, both shops will be furnished and fully-functional. Initially, they will be used to construct reproductions for use in park interpretive programs. Eventually, items will be made for sale to help support future park programs. All work done in the shops will be by staff and volunteers wearing period attire.

*The Woodshop-Smithy project was featured in the May, 1995 issue of Sunset Magazine.