Community Corner
Sorensen's Blacksmith Shop
Established in 1892, Ole Sorensen's blacksmith shop at the corner of Third and Edmonds Street offered expert smithy services to the growing Edmonds community.
At the turn of the last century, Edmonds was a horse and buggy town.
Numerous specialized businesses supported the horse-based economy, including liveries (see Patch article ), feed outlets and blacksmith shops. One of the earliest was Ole C. Sorensen’s blacksmith shop, located just off the main downtown business district at Third Avenue and Edmonds Street.
Ole C. Sorensen arrived in Edmonds in 1889 from North Dakota with his bride of two years, Anna. An experienced blacksmith, he quickly found work as a smith in Currie’s logging camp, one of several logging operations that capitalized on the easily harvested timber in the Edmonds area.
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In 1892, Sorensen opened his own blacksmith shop on the northeast corner of Third and Edmonds Street. During his time running the blacksmith shop, he became involved in local politics and was elected to the City Council in 1902.
He remained in business at this location for about 15 years, when he sold out to enter the shingle mill business, opening his own mill near Echo Lake. After several ventures in the mill business, Sorensen returned to Edmonds, where he became vice president of the First Bank of Edmonds.
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In retrospect, Sorensen left blacksmithing at the right time. The advent of the automobile set off an immediate national passion for this new mode of travel, and quickly transformed our nation, cities and towns. Edmonds was no exception (see Patch article “" and ""). Within a very few years, blacksmithing would become obsolete, supplanted by businesses catering to the motoring public (see Patch article for the story of Edmonds most well-known auto service facility).
Ole C. Sorensen died in Edmonds on May 2, 1934.
While no trace remains today of Ole Sorensen’s blacksmith shop, Edmonds residents still find expert services at the corner of Third and Edmonds Street. But instead of horses in need of shoeing, they now bring computers in need of repair. The site is now occupied by Maple Park Digital, offering expert computer repair and service to the Edmonds community.