Filed Under Virginia City
Sauerbier Blacksmith Shop
Virginia City National Historic Landmark District
A notorious dance hall was the original occupant of this 1863 building, which encompasses a small cabin of V-notched logs, one of the first built in June of that year. Tall French doors and a few dentils clinging to the façade recall its former dance hall elegance. Converted to a blacksmith shop in the 1870s, Charles Sauerbier and his son Karl operated the business until the 1940s. In the early years, Sauerbier repaired stage coaches and shod the ox teams that pulled huge freight wagons of goods. Original tools and machinery are still in place, and various additions chronicle the building’s history in boards, nails, and labor.