Huntington Blacksmith Shop Getting Re-Hab

By Maureen Daly

Huntington’s historic Edward Place Blacksmith Shop located at 9 Gerard Street has been rescued from planned Demolition and is under consideration for preservation as an historical landmark.

The Blacksmith Shop is a wood framed house built in 1909. It was among three or four Blacksmith shops in downtown Huntington when horses were the primary means of transportation.

“Today the two storied gable is the last survivor of a bygone era and a historic reminder of the Blacksmith trade,” according to Robert Hughes, Huntington historian and chairman of the town’s historic preservation commission.

“Given its location in what was a sleepy part of the town until 10 or 15 years ago, when the area started to get a lot of redevelopment pressure and the smaller older wood frame buildings like this typically didn’t survive,” he said. “It is remarkable it's still here.”

Members of the commission learned in September that the building was for sale and slated to be torn down and turned into a parking lot.

The commission moved quickly to try and give it a local historic designation, which prevents the structure from being demolished and ensures any exterior changes are in keeping with the historic character of the building, Hughes said.

In November the commission voted to recommend to the town board that the building be given the designation as a Huntington historic landmark. A public hearing will be held before the town board to discuss the recommendation.