FROST & BLOOMFIELD'S BLACKSMITHING SHOP

Filmed on location on May 24, 2025.

This was the site of Frost & Bloomfield’s Blacksmith shop, which was located in the Tower House District, of Shasta County, California, and was erected between: 1853 and 1864. This is where Frost and Bloomfield conducted their wagon making and blacksmith business at the corner of Trinity Mountain Road to French Gulch and Highway 299 West to Weaverville. It was situated near the Tower House, a former hostelry which formerly operated in the area, next to the existing historic Camden House.

Most of the building stood standing as a prominent feature in the area, which was deteriorating overtime, and eventually it led to its demise about 1930 when it was demolished. However, the rock foundation was preserved from demolition and in later years a storage shed was erected on this historic site connecting to the original rock foundation of the blacksmith building. Then in 1973, the site became protected upon the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service.

Arson destroyed the storage shed in 2014, and again it was threatened by the 2018 Carr fire, just four years later. Today, the rock foundation of this historic structure still remains intact and is over-seen by the National Park Service. Come see what remains of this historic site.

Resources:

1850 U.S. Census

1860 U.S. Census

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, April 15, 1864

1866 California U.S. Voters Registration

1870 U.S. Census

The National Park Service

Blacksmith Shop marker photo detailing the history of the Frost & Bloomfield 's Blacksmithing Shop. Courtesy of Noah Everett.