Growing Beyond Their Dreams

No town in the mid 1800’s could exist long without the services of a good blacksmith. In fact in those days the blacksmiths shop often appeared first, located at some crossroads, and a thriving village would spring up around it. In the case of Steamboat Rock, the town was laid out first, but it was a very short time before the sound of the hammer and anvil were heard.

The pioneer blacksmith of the town was Isaiah Frost in the winter of 1855. Frost came to the area in 1854, and became the town’s first blacksmith, but continued as blacksmith for only a short time before he moved to a nearby farm where he remained until he died. Frost’s shop was located on what is now a vacant lot west across the street from the bank. It was on Fifth Street behind the building that housed the first Post Office that faced Market Street.

Records show that Clay township sold the lot and building that housed one of the town’s schools to Henrich (Henry) Granzow in 1871 for $300, and the building soon housed a blacksmith shop.

Later blacksmith shop was owned by S.A. Price. Price operated the shop in that building at the location that was last a cafe next to the present post office.

S.A. Price sold out to Albert Van Dornum & Brothers. Albert Van Dornum perhaps gained more prominence as the first minister of the German Baptist Church in Steamboat.

He came to Steamboat Rock, in 1874 and opened the general blacksmith shop with his brothers, that included a plow shop and employed three to five people. One was Nathaniel L. Webb who repaired wagons for them.

A short time later, a man by the name of Henry Dinges opened a shop at the location where Isaiah Frost operated the town’s first shop. And for a time there were two Blacksmith shops operating in Steamboat Rock.