Description of Historic Place

The Forge is a public park located at the corner of Principale Street and Côté Nord Road in Saint-Louis-de-Kent. The site is currently known as "Le parc des forgerons".

Heritage Value

The Forge is designated a local historic place for its importance in marking the place where the last blacksmith shops in the village operated.

The Forge is recognized for its association with many industries in the community's history. All trades needed, at one time or another, to call on the services of the blacksmith. Whether is was the farmer who needed horses shoed or his agricultural equipment repaired, the fisherman who needed an anchor or chain mesh for his boat or the lumberjack who needed to build a log lead or a machine to load logs, it was the blacksmith who could reproduce or create the desired part from simple shank or a piece of iron. Its strategic location near the bridge entering the village, the main thoroughfare and agricultural lands made it accessible to all in the region who needed blacksmithing services. A potential for archaeological resources exists relating to the history of the blacksmith trade on this site since the beginning of the 20th century.

The heritage value of The Forge is also related to the social aspect of the trade. All of the villagers would stop at the blacksmith from time to time to give and receive recent news. Tradesmen would chat amongst themselves while waiting for their tools or equipment to be ready, while others simply stopped for conversation with those who were waiting. School children often lingered here after classes, especially when a horse was being shoed.

Today, the site serves as "Le parc des forgerons", a commemorative park that evokes for the townspeople the importance of the former blacksmith trade in the town.

Source: Village of Saint-Louis-de-Kent Municipal Building, File number 01 10

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe The Forge include:
- proximity to the bridge, to Principale Street, and to agricultural land;
- current use as a commemorative park;
- potential archaeological ressources on this site.