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The blacksmith shop is as American as apple pie.
And although it is rare to find one in modern America, the historical significance of the blacksmith is certainly not forgotten at Peggy and Tom O’Malley’s unique Portola Inn Bed and Breakfast and events center.
Tom is a fervent fan of Atascadero’s history, which is creeping up on 100 years (in 2013). As such, the O’Malleys have pieces of Atascadero’s colorful history tucked in many corners of their property. One such “stop” as you tour the exquisite grounds at the historic Portola Inn is Tom’s homage to the blacksmith shop, and especially the one that existed in Atascadero.
When Edward Gardner Lewis purchased the Jason H. Henry 23,000-acre cattle ranch in 1913, he picked up three residences, some cattle, and a blacksmith shop that quickly became the “Colony” blacksmith shop. It was here that repair of equipment and even the generation of tools and ornamental iron was done, not only for the Colony, but area ranches. One such ranch was the Heilmann Brothers farmlands east of the Salinas River where heavy equipment helped cultivate and process wheat for shipment around the world.
Early photos of Atascadero’s downtown show, parked in front of a local business building, not only the early Model T, but wagons and buggies pulled by horses. The Colony blacksmith shop came to be owned by George “Shorty” Moore, whose son, Don Moore (along with his wife Shirley), served as the royal couple for Atascadero’s annual Colony Days Celebration in 1998. Shorty’s widow, Ida Moore, was the first Colony Days Queen in 1974.
Today much of the Colony’s blacksmith artifacts fill the “blacksmith” shop at the O’Malley’s Portola Inn. From wrenches and clamps and buggy repair tools, such as a spoke-drilling tool to a genuine monkey wrench, are hanging on walls of the shop, along with a photo of Shorty Moore standing at a large anvil. A hand-operated set of leather bellows from Moore’s shop are also on display. The bellows are on long-term permanent display at the shop, courtesy of the Atascadero Historical Society. You’ll find a complete buggy that has been disassembled and hung on the walls and ceiling. Another beautiful and completely restored buggy adorns the grounds.
And for periodic special events, Tom brings in real blacksmiths who heat and bend, twist and turn and pound and file iron into any number of small trinkets and keepsakes. Children are especially fond of watching these visiting blacksmiths pull a piece of red hot iron from the forge and witness it being worked by hand, not a machine. Adults, too, seem thrilled to see this iron handiwork in action.
Atascadero’s history is being kept alive by Peggy and Tom O’Malley, but none as complete as this vintage blacksmith shop.
(This story was written by Lon Allan, former Editor of Atascadero News for over thirty years, former President of Atascadero Historical Society and former teacher of Peggy and Tom at Atascadero High School, more years ago than anyone is willing to admit.)