James Logue Blacksmith & Coach Works
105, 107, 109 East Main Street
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The earliest recorded owners of the property were William and Anne Richard who sold it to David Boal on August 6,1803, this being part of the same tract that he constructs the Boal Tavern(located across the street) . There is no mention of any buildings on the site at that time. In 1807, the property is transferred from Boal to James Morrison and the deed mentions houses, stables, and meadows(the houses & stables undoubtedly referring to the tavern complex). In 1811, the property changes hands again to Jeremiah Culbertson and is noted as being part of a 62 acre tract. The founder of theoach works, James Logue, saw the demand for coaches in the 1840s, acquired the property(apparently a portion of the 62 acre tract), and formed a business to meet the need. The 1850 census lists James Logue as 38 years old and established as a coachmaker. Also listed are his wife, Elizabeth (37), children John (13), and Agnes (10). Jack Sweeley, a coachmaker, Jackson Tate, apprentice, and blacksmith Hiram Biddle are indicated as his employees. The 1860 census indicates that Logue was born in Ireland and that his son, John, is a coachmaker. Also listed under Logue are Washington Wieland, coachmaker and William Curtain, coach maker apprentice,Edward Kreamer, blacksmith, William Shoope, blacksmith apprentice, Amos and Richard Shatzer, day laborers, and Mary Miller as a servant. According to Myrtle Magargle’s History of Boalsburg, Mr. Logue was a no-nonsense businessman, known throughout the town for his wealth, personality, and good business practices. Logue sold the business to John E. Murray in 1865 who in turn transferred the deed to W.A. Murray in 1866. In his later years, W.A.Murray had others operating the shop including John Weber. In 1899 a fire destroyed half of the shop. The same year that Murray transfers the shop to J.M. Wieand who had been affiliated with the business as perhaps a manager or partner. Wieand repaired the damage from the fire and incorporated steam power according to Ruth Corter. He also turned the business into a partnership with A.E.Gingrich. The third story and elevator were added to the Coach shop at this time. A.E. Gingrich, known locally as the Village Blacksmith, acquired sole ownership of the business in 1924. Gingrich was the first owner to be both a coachmaker and a blacksmith. As the country’s mode of transportation changed from wagons to automobiles, Gingrich transformed the shop to meet the needs of the new technology. He worked on both automobiles and wagons, at the same time making all of his own tools. He even converted a car into a bus to run between State College and Lewistown to meet the trains and transport people. Some of the physical changes he made to modernize the shop included: replacing the steam boiler with an electric generator to power the equipment. In 1957,Albert Gingrich sold the property to the Boalsburg Construction Company. In the 1970s Harris Township purchased the property, renovated the first floor of the Coach Shop as a meeting room and maintained the historic nature of the buildings. Visitors to the blacksmith shop (which is opened and operated during special occasions) will still see Gingrich’s tools much as he left them.
Back to Map
Back to Map
The earliest recorded owners of the property were William and Anne Richard who sold it to David Boal on August 6,1803, this being part of the same tract that he constructs the Boal Tavern(located across the street) . There is no mention of any buildings on the site at that time. In 1807, the property is transferred from Boal to James Morrison and the deed mentions houses, stables, and meadows(the houses & stables undoubtedly referring to the tavern complex). In 1811, the property changes hands again to Jeremiah Culbertson and is noted as being part of a 62 acre tract. The founder of theoach works, James Logue, saw the demand for coaches in the 1840s, acquired the property(apparently a portion of the 62 acre tract), and formed a business to meet the need. The 1850 census lists James Logue as 38 years old and established as a coachmaker. Also listed are his wife, Elizabeth (37), children John (13), and Agnes (10). Jack Sweeley, a coachmaker, Jackson Tate, apprentice, and blacksmith Hiram Biddle are indicated as his employees. The 1860 census indicates that Logue was born in Ireland and that his son, John, is a coachmaker. Also listed under Logue are Washington Wieland, coachmaker and William Curtain, coach maker apprentice,Edward Kreamer, blacksmith, William Shoope, blacksmith apprentice, Amos and Richard Shatzer, day laborers, and Mary Miller as a servant. According to Myrtle Magargle’s History of Boalsburg, Mr. Logue was a no-nonsense businessman, known throughout the town for his wealth, personality, and good business practices. Logue sold the business to John E. Murray in 1865 who in turn transferred the deed to W.A. Murray in 1866. In his later years, W.A.Murray had others operating the shop including John Weber. In 1899 a fire destroyed half of the shop. The same year that Murray transfers the shop to J.M. Wieand who had been affiliated with the business as perhaps a manager or partner. Wieand repaired the damage from the fire and incorporated steam power according to Ruth Corter. He also turned the business into a partnership with A.E.Gingrich. The third story and elevator were added to the Coach shop at this time. A.E. Gingrich, known locally as the Village Blacksmith, acquired sole ownership of the business in 1924. Gingrich was the first owner to be both a coachmaker and a blacksmith. As the country’s mode of transportation changed from wagons to automobiles, Gingrich transformed the shop to meet the needs of the new technology. He worked on both automobiles and wagons, at the same time making all of his own tools. He even converted a car into a bus to run between State College and Lewistown to meet the trains and transport people. Some of the physical changes he made to modernize the shop included: replacing the steam boiler with an electric generator to power the equipment. In 1957,Albert Gingrich sold the property to the Boalsburg Construction Company. In the 1970s Harris Township purchased the property, renovated the first floor of the Coach Shop as a meeting room and maintained the historic nature of the buildings. Visitors to the blacksmith shop (which is opened and operated during special occasions) will still see Gingrich’s tools much as he left them.
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