The Eyster & Holmes Blacksmith Shop — Midway Village Museum, Rockford IL
Est. 1987 — Rockford, Illinois
Over five decades of fire, iron, and community on the banks of the Rock River.
The Rock River Blacksmith Guild was born not from a formal institution, but from a handful of passionate craftspeople who gathered in a barn outside Rockford in the summer of 1987. What started as an informal exchange of knowledge between our founding members has grown into one of the most active blacksmithing guilds in the Midwest.
Through changing times, shifting memberships, and the rise of modern manufacturing, our guild has remained steadfast in its belief that working iron by hand is not only a skill worth preserving — it is an art worth celebrating.
The Eyster & Holmes Blacksmith Shop — Midway Village Museum, Rockford IL
The Blacksmith Shop is one of several reproduction buildings in the 13-acre Victorian Village at Midway Village Museum. Floyd Eyster and his brother-in-law Bruce Holmes completed construction of the building in 1974, and the shop has been open since the museum's founding on June 16, 1974.
The sign above the door — "Eyster and Holmes Blacksmith" — honors the two builders and the shop's earliest blacksmiths, a tradition we carry forward with every fire we light.
Blacksmithing has been part of Rockford's identity since its earliest days. Historical records indicate the first blacksmith in Rockford was likely one of Germanicus Kent's men, with William Penfield — who operated a shop at the corner of Market and Madison Streets before 1837 — among the city's earliest known smiths.
The craft flourished here for over a century. The 1874–1875 Rockford City Directory lists 14 blacksmiths operating in the city. By 1903–1904 that number had grown to 22 blacksmiths and horseshoers. The last independent blacksmith in Rockford, Gust Djupstrom, closed his shop in 1952.
The Rock River Blacksmith Guild exists to ensure that legacy lives on — keeping the fire burning in the city where it once burned on every block.
Floyd Eyster and Bruce Holmes complete construction of the Blacksmith Shop at Midway Village Museum. It opens to the public on June 16, 1974 as part of the Victorian Village — the physical home the guild would eventually call its own.
Passionate craftspeople gather in Rockford in the summer of 1987. The Rock River Blacksmith Guild is formally established, giving the regional blacksmithing community an official organized home.
The guild becomes an active member of the Artist-Blacksmith's Association of North America, connecting our members with the broader national and international blacksmithing community.
The guild opens its shop to support a 4H Special Interest club, bringing young people into the forge and connecting a new generation with the tradition of working iron by hand.
In partnership with Rock Valley College, the guild launches a formal blacksmithing course — an 8-week beginner program bringing structured education to aspiring smiths across northern Illinois.
The guild plans to expand the Rock Valley College curriculum to offer both Level 1 and Level 2 courses, creating a full progression pathway for future smiths from beginner through intermediate.
"Every piece of iron that leaves this guild carries the spirit of every smith who ever stood at its forges. That is what tradition means to us."— Rock River Blacksmith Guild
The Rock River Blacksmith Guild has been a proud ABANA affiliate since the early 1990s. ABANA promotes the art of blacksmithing and connects guilds across the continent through education, events, and shared resources.
Since 2024, the guild has partnered with Rock Valley College to offer accredited 8-week blacksmithing courses for beginners. With plans to expand to Level 1 and Level 2 programs by 2027, we're building a full educational pathway for the next generation of smiths.
Every great guild is built on the people in it. Whether you're a seasoned smith or completely new to the craft, your story can become part of ours.