The Post Blacksmith

No remote fort could get by without a blacksmith.

NPS Photo

A blacksmith shop was essential for any frontier military post. This shop has two forges and all the equipment a blacksmith would need to do his job properly. Fort Larned had two main blacksmiths with several apprentices/helpers. Extra help, if needed, came from enlisted men brought in for extra pay.

The post blacksmith was a civilian contractor who worked for the Quartermaster Department. His job was to repair or manufacture any hardware needed at the post. He was also responsible for wagon repairs, which was usually the biggest part of his job.

Salary for a blacksmith ranged from $75 to $100 per month, depending on the skill level of the person doing the job. At a large post blacksmiths could specialize. At a small post, like Fort Larned, the blacksmith was a generalist who had to be able to do a lot of different jobs.