The old blacksmith in Terowie South Australia

Old blacksmith at Terowie, South Australia

Old blacksmith at Terowie, South Australia

In the 1880s through to the early 1900s the township of Terowie in the mid-north of South Australia was a bustling place of activity. The town was an important railway centre for many years as the state thrived and expanded. The town also served a growing farming community there and further afield. Consequently, the town blacksmith opened in 1884 and operated by one Thomas Taylor, was an important business in the district.

I find it interesting that the building has been maintained and obviously restored to something of its former state. It shows a certain, commendable level of care and pride on the part of the current owners – or perhaps the community which desires to preserve the interesting history and heritage of the town. One source I found states that the blacksmith building is now a museum. It was closed when we went through recently.

One interesting and significant element of the town’s history occurred during World War 2:

Terowie became a large military camp in 1941 -1946. In March 1942 General Douglas MacArthur gave his first Australian press interview in Terowie after leaving the Philippines. His most famous statement was “I came out of Bataan and I shall return”.

Further reading:

The photo below shows the interior of the blacksmith in its heyday in 1909:

 

https://slsa-collections.s3.amazonaws.com/99/92/b034-1d91-5ca8-9906-1e4f4013310e.jpg

 

 

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