Blacksmiths were the high technologists of ... There was the evocative coal fire smell of burning coke from the hearth, an anvil, and the sound of hammering. This is intensely familiar to me ...

Anthracite coal was discovered in Pennsylvania soon after the settlement of the Wyoming Valley, but its first practical use was by Obediah Grose in his blacksmith's shop in the year 1768.

A face darkened with soot, strong arms, and hands like a vice grip, the blacksmith was a breed all his own. He may not have initially looked it, but he was one of the most important figures in any ...