1854-1947
| Wilton History 1854-1947 | |
Source: Henry Wildasin's Revised History of Wilton, Iowa
***Containing a complete reprint of Wilton History 1854-1876 by Rider & Stevenson***1947
THE FOLLOWING PARTIES
OPERATED BLACKSMITH SHOPSC. V. Kirk opened a shop in 1879 in a building that stood on ground now occupied by the city hall. He sold the business to the Bridges Brothers, Noah and Daniel, they selling to their brother George Bridges, who operated the shop for quite a number of years.
J. R. Brown opened a shop about 1895. He operated until about 1915, when he quit business. This was on Cherry Street, north of the alley. Emil Schroeder's building now occupies the ground.
Teddy Egan operated a shop on the ground now occupied by the city Electric Light Plant. Originally was known as the Opitz Shop.
Wallace and McClain operated a shop on what is a vacant lot, just west of the Home Mix Fed Mill. This was quite a shop, two stories, the ground floor was a Blacksmith shop and the upper story for wagon maker and paint shop. This property was destroyed in Wilton's second major fire in the year 1892.
The Wacker shop was started in the early day. When the Wackers moved from the Opitz Shop, the elderly Wacker as well as J. H. Wacker were wood workers, as well as wagon makers, or anything in that line. Not long after the Wackers moved, the Wacker brothers, Charles and William operated the blacksmith shop. Then they sold out to A. B. Darting, who operated the shop for about twenty years. Then William Wacker returned from the Northwest and opened up the shop again. There has been a new building erected bringing the place up-to-date. In 1946 Willard Hillyer purchased the Wacker Shop and is operating the shop at present.