• Tuesday-What'sUP August 19 - 07:21 am

If you're unfamiliar with the Bammert Blacksmith Shop in Phoenix, then stick around and we'll fill you in. It's located just north of US 41, on the Phoenix to Eagle River Road. Chris Beaudoin, (alias Dunerat), said they were headed up to Phoenix to dig around the poor rock pile, when his son saw the roadside sign that led them to the Blacksmithing and Repair shop. It's a property maintained by the Keweenaw County Historical Society.

There is an interpretive sign there, with the history of this workshop that was operated by Amos L. Bammert, so you aren't left wondering about what took place here back in the day. Another sign, hanging on the building itself, is lit up by an old light fixture that left Chris wondering how many folks would notice the modern compact florescent bulb in it.

Inside the building are mannequins depicting Amos Bammert and his son hard at work on the forge where the metal was heated before hammering. The next photo shows the swage block, which is a large chunk of metal that has patterns and forms cast into its surface. The blacksmith uses these patterns to beat hot metal into any number of desired shapes and profiles. The final photo is of the large grinding wheel that was used to remove excess material and to grind cutting edges onto metal objects.

I've passed by this building a number of times, but have never taken the time to stop and check it out, so I'm glad that Chris took us along on their tour of the grounds there and also supplied the info about all the workings of the shop. It's always a good day when we can learn something new from the Pasty Cam and its viewers!

Omgosh! We very nearly stopped there on our way
to Eagle River also. Next time. Thanks for
showing what's all there. It looks very
interesting.

Did Amos Bammert happen to be Swedish?

The reason I ask is that if the building was restored to its orginal exterior appearance, that is a common colour scheme of houses and workshops in Sweden and parts of Finland (red w/ white trimmed windows). The red colour itself is called Falu Red and is made from the pigments of finely powdered hematite from the mines in Falun, Sweden. It is a superior coating to most modern paints because of its abilities to preserve wood so effectively for many years.

Sorry to highjack the post with a little history, but it is fascinating how traditional Scandinavian ideas made it over here and are still being used today.

Capt. Paul, please CONTINUE with the "history
lessons"!! Fascinating! Helps us all look deep
inside & think, & not only on the surface :)

Many folks these days probably don't appreciate the importance of the blacksmith back in the day. Had never heard of the swage block ~ thanks for the great pictures and education!

My great-grandpa ran a blacksmith shop. Would've loved to have been around to see it.
Thanks for the photos, Chris.

never stopped there. we will the next time we go for a ride.

as a kid, we went to greenfield village and the blacksmith made us a ring from, what I called, a spike nail. I kept it for a long time.

My aunt is a descendant of the Bammert family. They ran the Bammert Farm near Phoenix and Central and hauled cord wood to both mines. Some of you may have seen the pictures of the Bammert logs on the beach at Eagle Harbor. Jonas Bammert came over from Germany around 1850, I think. Amos was one of his sons. Here is a link to the Bammert Farm.

http://www.gratiotlakeconservancy.org/BammertHistory06.htm

Very interesting pictures. I never knew that place existed. The village smithy kept the community operating smoothly and was almost as important as the doctor.

I had one of those spike nail-rings too, Mickill and I remember at Pershing H.S., I had to fight off some kid in Spanish class trying to take it from me...I miss the good ole days.

Yesterday's pictures of the Porkies are great.
We were there last week Friday. Being handicapped I went up the ramp to get to the viewing areas. Really nicely done for handicapped access. One of those places you like to linger to soak up the ambiance.
Capt Paul, I was glad to read about the red paint used in those northern countries. One of the stories I heard was that blood from the slaughtering of animals was used. That doesn't seem as plausible as your paint story does it?
And, Deb, the big lake was warm. People on the beach all along the highway towards Silver City.
My family all stopped and swam.

The spike nail ring was most likely made from a nail used to shoe horses with. I made lots of them from all the horse shoes our horses went through.

I love the pics. I never tire of driving by that area.
It is soooo beautiful!

Always wondered about the blacksmith shop before stopping at Ten-Foot! Interesting info!

Nice piece of history.

Amos Bammert was married twice; his first wife was Paulina Bammert Bammert - her father was a distant cousin of Amos. Amos and Paulina had 4 children together, Clarinda (Clara), Albert, Elsie, and Florence (Flossie). Both Amos and Paulina are buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Eagle Harbor. I have a picture of her mother (also named "Paulina") as a child around five years of age, two younger brothers, Henry and Charles, and her parents, Gottlieb Wappler and Maria (Mary) Wills Wappler, ca. 1858. Gottlieb and Maria are my great-great grandparents, and her brother, Henry (last name became Wabler, then Warbler) is my great-grandfather. Thank you for featuring the blacksmith shop on your page - it makes me feel good to know that people will have a chance to see it and remember what was, because it is, indeed, important. If there is anyone doing genealogy on this family, please contact me.