Built circa 1864 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the blacksmith shop is the heart of the Cambria Iron National Historic Landmark, one of the oldest surviving complexes from the 19th century steel industry. The city of Johnstown is currently restoring the shop with the goal of signing a lease with a business that will resume forging operations, and allow visitors to witness the metalworking tradition that shaped the region. When completed, the shop will be a vital part of the area's culture and a national center for blacksmithing.

Restoration
The original building was a 70' X 70' octagonal brick structure topped with a timber framed cupola. Several wings were added over the years to accommodate additional equipment. By the time the community received the building from Bethlehem Steel, the structure was in advanced stages of degradation. The roof leaked, chimneys were rusted, brick walls were crumbling, and the cupola had developed a perceptible eastward lean from the pull of an overhead power cable.
The city's first task was to stabilize the building from further deterioration. In 2005, the hundreds of tools which had been left in the shop were moved into storage to clear floor space (most will be returned for duty when the shop re-opens.) Dominic DeRubis, a brick mason skilled in historic preservation, led a crew to repair moisture-damaged brick walls. The roof was replaced and the cupola was repaired, straightened, and painted a deep red. The shop's tall chimneys were removed and placed in storage for later restoration.
Environmental remediation work is now underway to bring the shop into compliance with EPA regulations. The shop's main areas are also undergoing a thorough floor to ceiling restoration. Wood restoration specialists have erected scaffolding inside the shop to access the timber roof trusses and 15-foot tall arched window frames. This phase of work is scheduled for completion in late spring 2007, and will be followed by work to rehabilitate shop equipment such as air hammers and furnaces. By late 2007, the shop is planned to be in operation once again, continuing the steelworking tradition in Johnstown.