Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Milam County, Texas
This article was published in the
Rockdale Reporter
October 29, 2009
All credit for this article goes to
Mike Brown, Editor
The Rockdale Reporter
Photos by Mike Brown
Rockdale Reporter
October 29, 2009
All credit for this article goes to
Mike Brown, Editor
The Rockdale Reporter
Photos by Mike Brown
Depot forges link to the past
Blacksmith shop new attraction for historic site
By MIKE BROWN
Reporter Editor
The clang of metal on metal has joined the horns of trains and the rhythm of tracks at
Rockdale’s historic depot-museum.
On Saturday the Rockdale Historical Society dedicated its restored, fully-operable
blacksmith shop during its living history day Saturday.
The depot is a recreation of the Frank Dockall-John Timmerman blacksmith shop which
opened in the Gay Hill community before the turn of the 20th Century.
Original equipment from that shop, along with equipment donated by the families of
blacksmiths Julius “Bose” Moultry, Charles Stolte and Harrison Lanham, is on display
inside the recreated structure.
That equipment got a workout Saturday from members of the Balcones Forge blacksmiths
organization of Austin and a couple of special “volunteers.”
Irma Doss, 96, and 90-year old Minnie Timmerman Chalfant, who operated bellows in the
Dockall-Timmerman shop as young girls, each got a turn at the crank.
There was much more on tap during the cloudless, 65-degree fall day.
Flint knappers Ab Woods and Paul Unger showed how stone tools were made in the really
old days.
Antique military paraphernalia were displayed by Les Davenport and Doug Davenport.
Candle maker April Ford displayed her specialty, much to the delight of several bees
who found the sweet-smelling melting beeswax too pungent to resist.
Inside the depot, browsers got a final chance to see the “Ten Tall Texans” exhibit,
based upon the life and works of the late State Representative Dan Kubiak.
The display is being moved to Madisonville next month.
And retired railroad man Glen Banzhaf gave a demonstration of signals using the depot-
museum’s working signals located near the blacksmith shop.
Banzhaf is the grandson of George Banzhaf, who was Milam County Agent from 1910 to
1946.
Historical society volunteers, clad in period garb, kept another fire going throughout
the day, selling sausage wraps and other food and drink.
Webelo scouts in Pack 789 began the dedication ceremony with a flag-raising.
James Powell, master of ceremonies, conducts dedication ceremony for recreaton of 19th Century blacksmith shop, constructed by volunteers Gary Jackson and Louie Edelmon, as modern-day blacksmith Rudy Billings looks on from inside shop
Flint Knapper
Ab Woods
Ab Woods
Irma Doss, 96, used to turn the bellows crank in the blacksmith shop of stepfather Frank Dockall 90 years ago. She did it again Saturday. Depot re-creation has some of that shop’s original equipment.
Balcones Forge blacksmith group donated $1,000 to the Rockdale Historical Society. Sue Murray, Balcones Forge president, made the presentation to society president Dave Phillips.
CLANG!
Abram Doss, member of the Balcones Force blacksmith group hammers away during a blacksmithing demonstration at Rockdale’s historical I&GN Depot. The shop, a restoration of the Dockall-Timmerman blacksmith shop in the Gay Hill community west of Rockdale, was dedicated by the Rockdale Historical Society during its Living History Day Saturday. The day also featured displays of candle making, guns and other military paraphernalia, railroad signals, flint knapping and more. The shop is furnished with antique tools from area blacksmithing families.
Abram Doss, member of the Balcones Force blacksmith group hammers away during a blacksmithing demonstration at Rockdale’s historical I&GN Depot. The shop, a restoration of the Dockall-Timmerman blacksmith shop in the Gay Hill community west of Rockdale, was dedicated by the Rockdale Historical Society during its Living History Day Saturday. The day also featured displays of candle making, guns and other military paraphernalia, railroad signals, flint knapping and more. The shop is furnished with antique tools from area blacksmithing families.
"Blacksmith Shop
Replica of an exact blacksmith shop that would have been found in the Rockdale Area around the turn of the 20th century. These small shops were essential to the local economy. It is constructed with antique board and batten siding by members and friends of the Rockdale Historical Society in 2009. Antique tools and equipment have been donated by families of former local blacksmiths.
Frank Dockall
John Timmerman
Julius "Bose" Moultry
Charles Stolte
Harrison Lanham
.
Replica of an exact blacksmith shop that would have been found in the Rockdale Area around the turn of the 20th century. These small shops were essential to the local economy. It is constructed with antique board and batten siding by members and friends of the Rockdale Historical Society in 2009. Antique tools and equipment have been donated by families of former local blacksmiths.
Frank Dockall
John Timmerman
Julius "Bose" Moultry
Charles Stolte
Harrison Lanham
.