The Legacy of the Maine Blacksmith's Guild
The Maine Blacksmith's Guild has a rich and unique history, shaped by a fusion of diverse blacksmithing traditions from across the state and around the world, spanning multiple time periods. Our techniques and philosophies reflect an enduring commitment to preserving the craft as it was originally practiced—not as modern trends seek to redefine it.
Our foundation draws inspiration from the Howell Works Blacksmith's Guild, a crucial part of an early 19th-century industrial town and ironworks. At its peak, this ironworks housed the largest blacksmith shop in the United States, dedicated to maintaining a vast fleet of wagons used to transport goods to market. Today, the Guild continues this legacy, operating as a collective of blacksmith shops united by a shared mission: to protect, preserve, and advance traditional ironwork.
​A Craft on the Brink of Extinction
By the 1950s, traditional blacksmithing had nearly vanished in the United States. Industrialization and two World Wars had pulled skilled blacksmiths away from their forges—many to fight, others to work in factories. As machinery advanced, the blacksmith’s role in daily life diminished, and the need to pass on these time-honored skills all but disappeared.
At that time, only two blacksmithing organizations in the U.S. had survived from before the wars: the Northern California Blacksmithing Guild (which no longer exists) and the Howell Works Blacksmiths Guild. As we grew, we rebranded this historic institution into the Maine Blacksmith's Guild, expanding its reach and incorporating historical blacksmith shops from across the state.
Growth and Global Reach
Over the past three decades, the Guild has grown from a single shop on the Penobscot River into a thriving network of four working blacksmith shops across Maine, along with additional workshops in Europe and South America.
Beyond our physical locations, we are deeply committed to international collaboration and preservation. Each year, we sponsor apprentices on expeditions to Europe, where they catalog and recreate lost ironwork—reviving techniques that were never passed down through generations. This knowledge is then brought back to Maine and shared with our community, ensuring that these skills are not forgotten.
Through these expeditions, we have forged strong working relationships with blacksmiths in Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, and Brazil, bridging continents and reconnecting with ironworking traditions that never made it across the Atlantic.
Preserving the Future of Blacksmithing
Today, the Maine Blacksmith's Guild operates as a private non-profit organization, dedicated to education, preservation, and mentorship. Our mission is to pass on the artistry and craftsmanship of traditional blacksmithing to the next generation—both in Maine and abroad—ensuring that this ancient trade continues to thrive in the modern world.
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Contact us
Southern Maine HQ:
Sokokis Forge
6 Old Alfred Road
E. Waterboro, ME
Mailing Address:
Box 3
Winn, ME
04495