A Visit to John & David in Hamlin, WV

John and David were some of the first customers of our blacksmith business. We first encountered their great smiles and interest in ironware at a craft show in the small town of Hinton, WV. Several months later in another town, we discovered what magic John & David can work with plants when we were all set up at the same craft show.

We visited them in May 2001 in the midst of a two-week bout of heavy rain. Luckily, the roads were clear and we made it to Hamlin, the seat for Lincoln county which lies between Charleston and Huntington.

John and David moved to their house two years ago. It had formerly been part residence, part doctor’s office and had sat empty for several years. They started work by removing the cubicles that honeycombed the downstairs, replaced the floor in two areas and slowly created a wonderful home with their magic.

Their garden, in the former parking lot, has been a labor of love. They’ve created a number of special nooks and crannies to visit and sit in.

John and David’s newest project is the town’s Oddfellows Hall which they recently purchased. One of the last four stone buildings remaining in Hamlin, they jumped in to save it from the wrecker’s ball. The upstairs is a huge room with large windows on three sides — wonderfully lit by the sun, even on a cloudy day. The downstairs had formerly been realtor’s offices and requires some renovation to remove drop ceilings and modern walls.

Downstairs in the Oddfellows Hall

John and David live on a modest income which has fostered their creativity. Building materials and furnishings are as likely to come from a flea market or yard sale as from a store.

Visit John & David’s

Postscript: John died in the spring of 2002 and we all miss him dearly.