9. Blacksmith

The blacksmith was the most important person in the mining town. Many mines also had a blacksmith in the mine. The drills used for mining used long pointed chisels. When they became dull they cut off the end, then put the end into the forge and pounded out a new tip. Each time they did this they put a mark on the chisel. Sharpening could be done 5 times before it was discarded. You can see the cut off points near the forge and look for marks on the chisel. The blacksmith also repaired wagon wheels which were made of wood centers with a steel band around the outside.