Historic Hood River
A.A. Hanzlik Blacksmith
Notes
Another entry in the “you never know what you’ll find” collection: This view of A.A. Hanzlik Blacksmithing and Oxyacetylene Welding come from an album believed to have belonged to Ed Wonsyld, who worked at the Dee mill for many years (1920’s-1940s at least). I was surprised to find this blacksmith shop was actually in Lamberton, Minnesota– and not only has it survived, but it’s been preserved as a functioning blacksmith shop and is on the National Register of Historic Places. You can see a modern view of it here. It appears to be a center of local pride, with “Hot Iron Days” celebrations to show it off. It even houses the local historical society.
I really like the “Let George Do It” sign above the door. George was Anton Hanzlik’s son, who joined him in the business sometime in the 1920s.
Here’s a modern interior view.
Charlott
Anton Albert Hanzlik’s wife’s name was Josephine. They had three sons, George, who was the blacksmith with his father, William and Albert. I found that Anton, Josephine and their son William remained in the area. Not sure where George ended up.
RCam
Let’s all do the Wagon Hop to the Welding Shop!
Judy
Charlott, where do you get all of this information?
RCam …love your Wagon Hop! Too bad the pole covers up the letter S.
Kenn
Remote location but a lot of history and a great then and now, thanks.
L.E.
Ed Wonsyld was born in Lamberton and evidently his father was a blacksmith for a few years in the town before moving to Yacolt Washington.
Hood River still has a blacksmith shop. Take 8 horseshoes to Schlosser Machine and ask them to make you a coat rack.
Great place!!
Arthur
My observation from looking at old Sanborn maps is that Hood River has about as many coffee shops today as it had blacksmith shops in the day. That should give you a good feeling for how common they were.
Bill P
I still have a knife Ed Wonsyld made from a planer blade and gave it to my Dad.
Bill P.
Rachell
This would be the blacksmith shop where his father Jens Wonsyld was a smith. He immigrated to America where he was a blacksmith. He married & had two daughters only to be widowed. He then moved into North Dakota & lived some time with the Blackfoot Indians (later donated all his native belongings to a lodge he was a member of) he married again only to have his wife die in childbirth leaving him a widow of 3 young children. The youngest, William was adopted by a Danish couple who moved back to Denmark. (He later re-connected with his father & siblings). Finally a young Danish woman answered his add for a housekeeper & they were married & had 8 children together. One being Ed & one my great grandfather Tony. The family moved to Yacult Washington & worked in the logging industry. I would love to have copies of these family photos!
Beverly Wonsyld Garner
I grew up in the house my parents bought at Dee, Oregon from my Dad’s, (Leonard Wonsyld), Uncle Ed Wonsyld. Living next door to us for my first 19 almost 20 years was my Dad’s brother Ralph Wonsyld and his family, Patricia Skuce Wonsyld, wife, Terry Wonsyld Vann, daughter, and sons Ronald Tony Wonsyld and John Wonsyld. These Wonsyld men continued the family tradition of logging, owning a Logging Company, and working in the woods and Lumber Mills in the Hood River Valley. John Wonsyld is still logging as of this date. There is a large part of our Wonsyld Clan living in Southern Oregon in and around the Grants Pass area who continue to log as well. As the first generation of 8 Wonsyld children were born in the Northwest, as they grew up, part of the family landed in the Hood River Valley, the other in the Grants Pass area, where we still live to this day 6 generations later.
rachell
i’m just so excited about this history. I’ve spent so many years researching and getting to know my ancestors and to see the place where my gg grandfather worked is really just something special.