Brinton's Blacksmith Shop

Holladay's first business was a forge. In 1851 or 1852, David Brinton — then thirty-six — set up a blacksmith shop at this valley crossroads, and the place became known as Brinton's Corner. In a frontier settlement the blacksmith was indispensable, drawing customers from miles off: he made and mended the wagon wheels, plows, axes, chains, hinges, sleigh runners, and horseshoes that a farming community couldn't function without. Brinton's house stood just north, with room around the shop for the horses, carriages, and people waiting on his work. From this corner the rest of Holladay's commerce grew.

What the plaque says

Here at early valley crossroads in 1851 or 1852, 36-year-old David Brinton established Holladay's first business enterprise, a blacksmith shop, causing this locale to be known as Brinton's Corner. North of Big Cottonwood Creek (today rerouted farther south) was Brinton's house, leaving ample room for his shop, horses, carriages, and customers. In the 19th century, a town's blacksmith was an important resident drawing clients miles distant because he made or repaired wagon wheels, axes, metal tools, plows, chains, hinges, sleigh runners, and horseshoes. Blacksmiths often shaped or welded iron by heating an inch-wide iron rod in a fire (called a forge) and forcing air into the fire from a bellows, which raised the fire's temperature. When the iron rod was red- or white-hot, the blacksmith removed it from the fire with tongs and placed it on a metal anvil. He pounded the softened metal into the shape he wanted and dipped it into a bucket of cold water so the new shape would hold. Children especially liked to watch blacksmiths shoe horses. Blacksmiths held up the horse's foot, cleaned and shaped the nerveless hoof with rasps and knives, then custom fit and nailed to the hoof a new U-shaped horseshoe.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Gilgal Sculpture Garden — 5.5 mi
  A surreal and eccentric sculpture garden hidden in a residential neighborhood
• Liberty Park — 5.8 mi
  Salt Lake Citys beloved 80-acre urban park since 1882
• International Peace Gardens — 5.9 mi
  A hidden garden where 28 countries are represented in miniature
• This Is The Place Heritage Park — 6.1 mi
  A living history village at the mouth of Emigration Canyon

More markers nearby

• The Expansion of 1849 — steps away
• Holladay's First General Store — steps away
• The Lower Canal — steps away
• Holladay's First Church & School Bldg. — steps away