Bleckmann's Blacksmith Shop - Washington, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 33.687 W 091° 00.867
15S E 672996 N 4269980
Today, they dropped an "n" and it is a machine shop, oldest in town, and possibly oldest in the state...still same family...same business.
Waymark Code: WMZC2V
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 10/17/2018
Views: 1
County of business: Franklin County
Location of buusiness: W. Main St. 2nd store front W. of Cedar St., north side, Washington
Built: 1885 - 1940
Classified: D & Commercial
Current Occupant: Bleckman Machine & Supply Co.
District Map
The blacksmith business started in 1834, the two story portion of existing building was built in 1885 (some say 1888), and the lower section (one-story) was built in 1940.
The blacksmithing business progressed in a natural way into machine shop operations...as it continues today.
A entire newspaper article was written about this business and it's history in the local newspaper: The Missourian
" ... Blacksmithing, an
essential service of the town throughout the 19th and early 20th
centuries, is represented by the building at 409 W. Main Street,
constructed in the mid-1880s by Hannoverian John F. Bleckmann and
remodeled and enlarged circa 1940 by his descendents [sic] who continued one
of the town's primary blacksmith and machine shops." ~ NRHP Nomination Form, PDF page 19
Historic Marker on Building:
BLECKMAN BUILDING
Johann "Friedrich" Bleckmann built his first blacksmith shop in 1834. His son Fritz and grandson Henry J. built the eastern part of this building in 1888. "Bleckman's" is the oldest business in Washington.
1888