o~-rdslerCfl,istorical Societr

NEWSLETTER

Co-PresidentsBeverly LevineHerb Engel

Vice PresidentFrank Jazzo

TreasurerRichard Cuilty

Recording SecretaryTBA

DIRECTORSTheresa DiStefanoHenry GrothDorothy KaufmanMary KeehanMary Anne MatelliRick PalladinoRobert M. PellegrinoBernhard Preisser

EditorMary Lichtenberg

AssistantTheresa DiStefano

ProductionLaura Katz

ARDSLEY'S LAST BLACKSMITHby Theresa DiStefano

The Village of Ardsley had a number of blacksmiths as it grew into an incorporatedtownship. However, the one most remembered blacksmith and the one last blacksmith tohave a shop in Ardsley was Smithy Louis DeSimone.

"Smithy" DeSimone's blacksmith's shop was located approximately where thecurrent Getty station is now located, across the road from Carvel. (See drawing below byD. Paolucci, Smithy DeSimone's nephew.) The shop was seated on top of Bramble brookand somewhat on the now paved Saw Mill River Road. (Saw Mill River Road was widenedwhen more road room was needed for the approach leading to the bridge now crossingover the New York State Thruway.) The blacksmith's shop was housed in a rented bamthat was originally the old Emory Buck Livery Stable, where Emory "Buck" had donesome wagon repairs and horse shoeing. (See photo on page 2, Pictures of the Past, Ardslry,N.¥. by Patricia B. Arone and Fred N. Arone.)

Louis DeSimone came to Ardsley in 1931 after arriving in Boston from Italy. Atfirst he lived with his sister, Mrs. Josephina Paolucci, and her family while he worked at theMack Truck factory in Tarrytown. Shortly thereafter, he decided to do what he learned asan apprentice blacksmith in his father's blacksmith shop in Italy. In 1931 he opened hisown blacksmith shop in Ardsley and eventually purchased a home in Hastings, where helived with his mother.

Right: drawing of the location of Smithy LouisDeSimone's blacksmith shop done by hisnephew, D. Paolucci. (Drawing found inA Short History ofArdslry by ArthurSilliman, illustrated by D. Paolucci.)

Each day, SmithyDeSimone did his work in arustic barn setting. The barnhad a huge round open forge(hearth) which was the mainfocus of any blacksmith shop.The huge round forge waslocated on the rear wall of thebarn with a chimney ventingthrough the roof. It had a hoodcovering half of the roaringred-hot fire created in theforge. The forge was fueled

S m i thy Lou i s with coal, which was deliveredDeSimone in 1937.A in large quantities. The fire wasblacksmith was a .

t rf I kept alive by oxygen that wascrea or, a powe uforce who was often fed into the forge by a handsinged on his arms cranked bellows.and face becauseflying red-hot sparkscame from the Once the forgefriction of nis ma~aged to heat to aStl~ki~g e htham ~ e r temperature that was needed tos n ng e tron .being shaped on his make cold hard iron softanvil. Photo courtesy enough to hammer into aof Mrs. Angela desired shape, SmithyPaolucci Noble. DeSimone would grasp a piece

of cold hard iron with strongiron pliers (tongs). Then, holding the piece of coldhard iron with the iron pliers (tongs), he would placeonly the cold hard iron into the flaming hot forgefire until the cold hard iron glowed a red-orangecolor that indicated that the cold hard iron was softenough to hammer into a desired shape. (See photoon next page.)

Once this softness was achieved, SmithyDeSimone, still holding the softened red-hot ironwith the iron pliers (tongs), would place it onto ananvil, which was a large block of iron standing aboutwaist-high, having both a flat and a pointed end.Thereafter, the softened red-hot heated iron, stillbeing held by the iron pliers on the anvil, would beshaped by hitting it with continuous blows by astrong iron sledgehammer held by SmithyDeSimone. This was done repeatedly until the red-hot heated iron was formed into a desired shape.

So, as this shaping took place, many red-hotsparks could be seen flying through the air and theconstant sledgehammer blows could be heard bypassers by. In fact, the flying sparks and the loudsledgehammer blows frightened some of Ardsley'syoungsters, as remembered by Irwin Engleman,whose father was the pharmacist in the Villagesquare. Consequendy, Irwin and some friends wouldnot go close to the barn doors but would watch theblacksmith at work while sitting on the fence acrossthe road from the blacksmith's shop.

Finally, the flying sparks and hammeringwould stop after the red-hot heated iron was formedinto the desired shape. Then all that had to be donewas for the shaped iron piece to be cooled. This wasdone by dipping the desired shape intoBramblebrook's water that conveniendy ran rightunder the barn.

As canbe imagined,SmithyDeSimone hadto be a verystrong man inorder to doblacksmithing.His nieces,AngelinaPaolucciNoble andRossinaP a a 1 u c c i Smithy Louis DeSimone's blacksmithGag 1ia r d i,shop, which was a rented barn previouslyremember him owned by Emory Buck, who used it as a

hstable in which he repaired wagons and

as suc . d'd h h' Ph fI orses oelDg. oto courtesy 0

Patricia and Fred Arone.

They both agree that he was a happy, friendlyman who was at least six feet tall with strong armsand broad shoulders. They both recall gladly going tothe forge that was warmed by the huge fire.

Angelina remembers bringing her unclesomething to drink and lunches made by her mother,Mrs. Josephina Paolucci, Smithy DeSimone's sister.Josephina Paolucci prepared these drinks andlunches for him while she worked in the familybakery, the Paolucci Bakery, located down the roadfrom the forge. Angelina remembers SmithyDeSimone as her favorite uncle.

Rossina remembers the forge as being afascinating place, with many pieces of bent and rawiron metal that were delivered to the forge in largedelivery trucks when needed. All this metal was allover the forge along with all the other tools heruncle needed for his work. She also remembershearing the sledgehammer sounds as it hit the red-hot iron metal and then watching the sparks flying.

To facilitate his work, and for protectionfrom flying sparks while hammering, SmithyDeSimone wore a heavy -leather apron with a slitpartly up the front, so when he was shoeing a

horse, he could hold on tothe lower part of thehorse's leg with his ownstrong legs as the horsewould struggle to freeitself. Often on Saturdays,Smithy DeSimone'snephew, Michael Paolucci,would be in the shop to

A typical red-hot forge help him with his work.used by a blacksmith ashe put the cold hard iron The only otherinto it until it reached the time and it was with rarenecessary softness so it ' u· th t th. excep on a 0 ercould be hammered rnto ' .the desired shape. Photo youngster.s did hav.e thefrom The Forge and opportumty to go lIltoBellows, The American Smithy DeSimone's shopBlacksmith, Blacksmith was when they tookArts. personal pieces of metal tobe fixed. For instance, Bill Groth remembers whenSmithy DeSimone fixed a broken sledge runner forhim and charged him twenty-five cents for the job.

Bill also remembers the warmth of the forge fireand the interesting pieces of iron mental shapesthat were all over the shop.

So, each day theblacksmith was in action.

Local Ardsley citizenswho wanted to get closerto the open barn doorwere able to look inside.As they looked in, theycould see the sparksflying as thesledgehammer hit the hotsoft iron metal one blowafter another.

A typical blacksmithworking at his anvilhammering the red-hot softiron with one blow afteranother until the metal wasformed into a desired shape.Photo courtesy of TheForge and Bellows, TheAmerican Blacksmith,Blacksmith Arts.

If they got closeenough, they could alsosee the red-hot flames ofthe huge forge. Then too, at times they could evensmell the odor of a burning horse hoof as the red-hot shoe was fitted.

Upon rare occasions, Mr. Arthur Silliman,the principal of the high school, would take somestudents to watch Smithy DeSimone perform theshoeing of the horses because Mr. Silliman knewthe blacksmithing was a dying art. (A Short InformalHistory of Ardslry by Arthur Silliman).

During these long working days, localArdsley citizens went into Smithy DeSimone's shoprequesting various types of metal work to be done.Smithy DeSimone could shod any type of horse.He could fix a broken axe, a long chain, a gunbarrel, wagon spokes and all agricultural equipment.He could make a horse yoke, a gate, a fireplacegrate, a knife, railings, tools and even special nails.In other words, Smithy DeSimone could make orfix anything made of iron metal.

Also to be noted, Smithy DeSimone createdbeautiful decorative pieces such as the gate on theDouglas estate. And when automobiles came toArdsley and replacement parts were difficult to get,he was able to fix or create the parts needed.

Then on the light side, a trip to SmithyDeSimone's blacksmith shop could have resulted insome moments of friendship and pleasure. Many acustomer waited for a job to be completed incomfort in DiGuigliemo's (Gugies) Tavern, locatedright across the road from the blacksmith shop. Andvery often at the end of the day, Smithy DeSimonejoined some of his customers at Gugies whilequenching his daylong thirst.

In essence, while Smithy Louis DeSimonewas Ardsley's blacksmith, he was an essential part ofthe community. And so, for approximately fifteenyears, Smithy Louis DeSimone worked hisblacksmith shop with a red-hot forge, a handcranked bellows, a strong iron pliers (tongs), a hugeiron sledgehammer and a well used anvil.Unfortunately, in 1947 Smithy Louis DeSimone diedand shortly thereafter his shop was torn down towiden Saw Mill River Road.

Many thanks to the foUowing people whohelped me gather the above facts:

Angelina Paolucci Noble Irwin Engleman

Rossina Paolucci Galiardi Bea Caporale

Henry Groth Bill Groth

Alfreda Groth Trott Fran Macri

A Short, Informal History ofArdslry, by ArthurSilliman, illustrated by D. Paolucci

Pictures of the Past, Ardslry, New York by Patricia B.Arone and Fred N. Arone

How the term "blacksmith" came to be:Black is the color of metal after being heated andcooledSmith comes from the word "smite or to strike"Term: Blacksmith is one who strikes black ironGunsmith: blacksmith who makes gunsLocksmith: blacksmith who makes locks

(Appalachian Blacksmiths Association)

Throughout history, a blacksmith was alwaysrevered, starting with Roman mythology, in whichthe blacksmith was associated with Vulcan, who wasthe god of Fire-a creator whose forge was a volcano.

A blacksmith was always part of any armybecause he could create and repair weapons and anyother tool needed for success in battle.

A blacksmith was always part of voyages ofexploration whether by land or sea, because he couldrepair anything that was made of metal.

Blacksmiths were always present whenAmericans were forging across the frontier.

Only until relatively recen t times, a blacksmithwas always an essential element in a community.

(Appalachian Blacksmiths Association)

SPOTLIGHT:CENTENNIAL CLOCK

On Saturday, April 25, 1998at 12 noon in Addyman Square,Ardsley'S Centennial clock wasofficially dedicated. The dedicationwas attended by many state andlocal officials. The clock waspurchased by Ardsley'S GardenClub. It became a handsomecenterpiece of a carefully tended

A r d s ley's garden in the heart of Ardsley'sCentennial Clock. business district.Photo courtesy ofThe Enterprise.

THE BLACKSMITH BLUESOack Holmes)

Down in old KentuckyWhere horseshoes are luckyThere's a village smithy standin' under a chestnut treeHear the hammer knockin'See the anvil rockin'He sings the boogie blues while he's hammerin' on the shoesSee the hot sparks a-flyin'Like Fourth of July-in'He's even got the horses doppin,' pop! down the avenueFolks love the rhythmThe clang-bangin' rhythmYou'll get a lot 0' kicks out of the Blacksmith Blues

Judge B. Wilber McDowell and Ardsley bathing beauties atRye Beach, 1915. Left to right: Mac Stinson Edmunds,Madeline Fisher, Ella McDowell, Judge McDowell,Florence King and Elizabeth McCartney. Photo courtesy ofBarclay McKeogh.

The Ardsley Historical Society Newsletter is published three times each year. The Society wasestablished in 1982 and is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. Its purpose is tocollect, preserve, and disseminate the history of Ardsley to members and to the public.

Archives are open to the public on Tuesdays from 10 am to 12 noon, or by appointment,at 9 American Legion Drive. Our phone number is 693-6027. Subscription to the Newsletter isincluded in membership dues, which are:

Individual:Family:Senior Citizen:StudentSponsor:Patron:

$ 12.0015.0010.00

8.0035.00

100.00

All articles, queries, and replies should be addressed to the editor, Mary Lichtenberg. Although everyattempt is made to maintain historical accuracy in the Newsletter, the editor and the Society assumeno responsibility for errors. The editor also reserves the right to edit where necessary.

Ardsley Historical SocietyP. O. Box 523Ardsley NY 10502-0523www.ardsleyhistoricalsociety.org

Non ProfitU.S. Postage PaidPermit No. 2023White Plains NY

Rick Palladino7 Fairmont St.Ardsley, NY 10502