The Bally Blacksmith Shop opened in 1911 when Sam Bally left his job at a sawmill to open his own business. The building has stood on this corner in Grand Marais for 110 years, and for 98 of them, it was owned by the Bally family. After Sam Bally’s death, his sons operated the shop, and then it was passed down to his grandson.
In 1986, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The shop operated until the 1990s. The Cook County Historical Society acquired the building in 2013 and offers us a glimpse into the past with blacksmithing demos, exhibits, and tours of the shop.
