Blacksmith demonstration set
Posted on Friday, May 16, 2008
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 31, Jody Roller of Lowell will set up his working blacksmith operation at the site of the old Peter Van Winkle blacksmith shop in historic Van Winkle Hollow at Hobbs State Park–Conservation Area, just east of Rogers on Arkansas Highway 12.
In 2005, the University of Arkansas' Archaeological Survey conducted a six-week field school in Van Winkle Hollow. One focus of that dig was the Van Winkle blacksmith shop. Two occupation zones were found, one pre-1860 and the other post-1865. This coincides with the fact that the blacksmith shop and other structures in the hollow were burned during the Civil War while Peter Van Winkle, his family and slaves fled to Texas.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online