If you are reading this, you are younger than Klumpe Blacksmithing. Julius Drews, its founder, was among the early settlers in Lyon County who emigrated from Olpe, Germany.

Of course, the name at that time was not Klumpe Blacksmithing. It wouldn’t be until the 1920s that a member of the Klumpe family would begin working in the shop. When Drews needed help shoeing mules, he called in a farrier by the name of Emanuel Klumpe.

When Klumpe’s son, Herman, took a liking to the blacksmithing shop, Drews took the then 9 year old boy on as an apprentice. By 1925, with Drews looking to slow down, Emanuel decided to buy the shop.

The rest is history.

“I grew up literally in this shop. They used to put a little metal chair on a bench and they would put me on that bench so they could keep track of m

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