Contribution article
PIMA — The Eastern Arizona Museum & Graham County Historical Society in Pima displays many relics of tools and machines used in the 19th and 20th centuries. Most of them were manual or animal-powered and had not been used for decades.Thousands of museum visitors only looked with interest over the years.However, self-taught blacksmiths Things have changed in the last few months, thanks to the relentless efforts of local Max Maxwell, who learned about
First, some background on artifacts. In 1908 Amos Packer opened a blacksmith shop in Pima repairing wagons, buggies, farms, ranches and harnesses. The attached photo shows Mr. Packer in the shop with his arm on the forge, with his helper Joe Horn in the background. Packer served his sixth term as mayor of Pima, but when the city council asked him to continue for another term, he turned it down. His business building was one block south of where the museum is located, that is, he was at 100 S. Street, and stood a few yards west of that street. He ran his business until his death in 1940. It is not known how the forging came into the hands of William (Bill) Carter, but his family donated it to the museum in 1977.
Max Maxwell and his wife, Cora, were spotted at the museum’s holiday bazaar last November and December when they spotted the existence of the forge and decided they could bring the dusty artifacts on the museum’s patio back to working life. I started thinking about sex. With the approval of her Karrie Wilson, the museum’s curator, and the support of the museum’s board of directors, Max began blacksmithing on Friday, providing a demonstration of the process she went through to sell a variety of useful metal items. I’m here.
Mr. Maxwell is one of those blessed souls who finds what they love in their own time every day. He easily shares his passion and what has brought him to this point in his life.
“In 2007, I had an art teacher named Robert Pugh. He owned a knife maker in Joseph City, Arizona. I used to make knives using a knife, and he taught me how to sharpen the bevel, how to attach the handle, how to shape the handle, etc. My methods have changed a lot over the years. But until 2018, I was making knives that way.”
“I work for Ponderosa Aviation and was asked to train a new mechanic to run a fuel truck. His name is Parker Merrill. I asked him if I built it.I told him I did and the conversation turned to forging.He built a gas furnace and offered it to me.I learned that new skill. I jumped at the opportunity.At first I saw a lot of YouTube videos and a lot of wasted steel.I have now been working full time for two years for a living.”
Max will be demonstrating his blacksmithing skills this Friday and Saturday on the patio of the East Arizona Museum. Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 9am-4pm.
Mr. Maxwell’s expansion demonstration at the revived Packer Forge was sponsored annually by the Eastern Arizona Museum & Graham County Historical Society to mark the 144th anniversary of Pima (originally Smithville)’s founding in April 1879. Part of Heritage Day. List of other events taking place in Pima on Friday and Saturday, April 21-22 to mark Heritage Days:
Quilt Show — Old Pima Church Cultural Hall, Friday noon-4pm, Saturday 9am-2pm
Friday
Barbecue Dinner — Pima School Cafeteria, $10 Plates, 5-7pm. $7 Ages 6-11 (ages 5 and under are free)
Saturday
Cowboy Breakfast — William Carter Farm Museum, 7am, $6 Plates, $4 Kids Plates (11 and under)
Raising the Flag — American Legion
National Anthem — Vocal Group
Steam Engine Demonstration — The Taylors
2 quilts, walking sticks, jewelry carter, croquet, Merrill, Sanchez, raffle for the Weech family display
