Off Topic The Old Stone Shop Hypothesis

[ithinkverydeeply]

I’m sure you have all heard of the historic Old Stone Shop. Once home of the Batcheller Fork Co. then in 1902 American Fork & Hoe Co., later to just be called True-Temper and buying out Kelly tools in the 1930 merger.

Despite the building being made out of granite stones it burnt down three times, needing to be rebuilt each time.

I love the rich history of this building and am wondering if anyone knows more information about the buildings history and name?

What’s in the name?
I like many just assumed that it was named so having been built of granite stones, but I now have a different hypothesis.

After some amateur sleuthing, I have my own theory about why it was named The Old Stone Shop...

If you look at these two old photos of the interior kitchen area, likely taken years apart, you’ll notice a consistent feature. Prominently displayed in the middle of the mantel is an old oblong stone.

To me, this looks like an old grindstone. Not a grindwheel but even older grindstone (like rubbing one rock against another to make a hand-Axe.)

I would submit that it is not named the Old Stone Shop because the building was made of stone but rather it was named so because of this “old grindstone” displayed on the mantel piece.
In my opinion, it makes more sense naming the shop after this very stone and not simple because it was built from stone as many foundries were.
Perhaps it is an artifact from when farm tools were forged in the area many years before the building was even there.

Who’s with me!? Can anyone corroborate my theory?

 

[garry3]

Interesting old stone as is the building and history. In what I assume is the later photo they have the horse shoe hung wrong.

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

In what I assume is the later photo they have the horse shoe hung wrong.

Ahh. I noticed the horseshoe too!
I am assuming that is actually the older photo, where the shoe was upside down. There is less stuff in the room and the condition of the negative(or slide) it was taken from is worse.

...also, if it was upside down in the older pictures, that could explain why the place kept burning down.

 

[garry3]

Ahh. I noticed the horseshoe too!
I am assuming that is actually the older photo, where the shoe was upside down. There is less stuff in the room and the condition of the negative(or slide) it was taken from is worse.

...also, if it was upside down in the older pictures, that could explain why the place kept burning down.

They age old debate on which way to hang the shoe. I guess pointed down it would shower you with luck as you came through the door, but it seems that all the luck ran out.
Have you been there? Any idea of what type of stone that is or it's history? It seems wherever people have settled they have found some kind of local stone that would work.

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

They age old debate on which way to hang the shoe. I guess pointed down it would shower you with luck as you came through the door, but it seems that all the luck ran out.
Have you been there? Any idea of what type of stone that is or it's history? It seems wherever people have settled they have found some kind of local stone that would work.

I haven’t been, I’m hoping someone on the east coast has more info.

 

[Square_peg]

Who’s with me!? Can anyone corroborate my theory?

I think you'd need to have someone (historian, archeologist) look closely at the stone and see if it had wear patterns consistent with some type of industry. If it did then that would lend credence to your theory.