Built around 1871 in the historic maritime village of Glen Haven, you will find a working Blacksmith Shop. Stepping inside is like stepping back in time. Staffed by knowledgeable and friendly volunteers, it is very interactive. Feel free to ask questions about what you see in the shop or about the area in general. Recently created objects can be observed high and low for visitors to admire. 

Outside the building and several spots throughout Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, you will also find beautifully crafted bike racks created by these talented Blacksmiths. To date, the blacksmiths have crafted 10 bike racks which can be found in Glen Haven and in the Port Oneida Rural Historic District. You may have noticed some of them have names of trees on the wooden pedestals. This is for identification purposes for donors that have chosen to sponsor a bike rack. Their sponsorship is recognized in the Visitor Center on a plaque. The wooden pedestals are crafted out of Black Locust which is an invasive tree that the Rangers have been cutting down and eliminating from the National Lakeshore. This is just one use that the Park has found to reuse this resource.

For information on sponsoring a bike rack or other ways to support the Friends and our operation and maintenance of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, you can visit our website.