KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — A year-long project to build a historically accurate working blacksmith shop will mark its official grand opening this weekend.

The Lake County Historical Society will hold its annual member's picnic in the oak grove at the Ely Stage Stop and Country Museum beginning at noon on Sunday, May 19.

This year, the picnic will feature the opening of the museum's blacksmith shop with demonstrations.

The working blacksmith shop was the vision of Greg Dills, past museum executive director and longtime Ely Museum supporter.

Volunteers began on the building in 2018.

The project is the culmination of six years of effort, hundreds of hours of volunteer work and thousands of dollars in donations of money and materials.

Many of those donations came from Elizabeth Paddock. The shop is named in honor of her late husband.

In the 1800s, every town in Lake County had a blacksmith shop. Without the blacksmith's wares, there would be no transportation (wagons and horse equipment), no houses (nails, hinges, etc.), no farm equipment, and very little infrastructure (roads, communication, etc.). The blacksmith shop was the hardware store of the period.

The Ely Museum is bringing a working Lake County Blacksmith Shop back to life as a window into the past.

Come out to the Historical Society Member's Picnic and watch blacksmithing in action. The picnic is free to members and $10 per person for non-members, but free if you become a member at the gate. They provide barbecue burgers and dogs, water, ice tea and coffee.

The rest is potluck style, so bring a dish to share. There will be sodas, beer and wine to buy.

The Ely Stage Stop and Country Museum is located at 9921 Soda Bay Road, just off Highway 29 between Kit's Corner and the Riviera Market.