THE BLACKSMITH

The building at 1411 King Street North served as a blacksmith shop from the late nineteenth century into the twentieth century. For generations, local Mennonite farmers travelling by horse and buggy brought their horses there to be shod and their equipment repaired. The shop became a familiar gathering place in the village, remembered by residents for the sights and sounds of the forge and the glow of red-hot iron.

Around the late 1870’s George Good operated a blacksmith shop in this building, at this corner of Albert & King Street. His family operated it for several generations until it was sold to Jon B. Martin who shoed horses well into the late 1960s. Jon B. Martin continued working there until his retirement in 1987.

After Jon Martin's retirement, the former blacksmith shop became home to Hamel Brooms in 1990. The forge and much of the historic character of the building were retained, allowing the site to continue its tradition as a place where visitors could watch craftspeople at work. Today, visitors can still observe traditional broom-making inside the former blacksmith shop.

Now: Hamel Brooms

Hamel Brooms also has its own interesting history in the Region. Founded in 1908 by I.W. Hamel in Waterloo, Ontario, the business has been passed from generation to generation, preserving the craftsmanship and quality that have made its brooms a Canadian favourite.

In 1969, the company was purchased by longtime employee Nick Sadowsky, who had spent years mastering the craft. John Davenport, who worked alongside Sadowsky after school, purchased the business when Sadowsky retired in 1990 and relocated it to St. Jacobs Village, believing its rich heritage and thriving community of artisans was the perfect home for this traditional craft.

Today, Hamel Brooms is proud to be Canada's oldest and last remaining manufacturer of handmade corn brooms.