Town Forge is located in the heart of historical downtown Port Townsend. Initially known as Irondale Forge, the site has been an operating blacksmith shop since it was established by Dean Mook in 1975.

Once the home of a drycleaning and laundry business, the abandoned concrete block building with steel doors, though in dismal condition, was ideal for a blacksmith shop. Dean contacted the owner of the building, Leo White, and told him of his proposal to turn the building into a working artisan blacksmith shop. Leo White loved the idea of reviving the art of the blacksmith, and he loved the energy of this idealistic young man. He was a benevolent landlord to the blacksmith shop for many years.

Town Forge
234 Monroe Street
Port Townsend, Washington 98368

Around 1979 Dean introduced a friend, Steve Lopes, to the art of blacksmithing. They worked together for awhile until Dean, with a new family and in need of a steady income, went to work in a boatyard running the metalworking shop . Steve stayed at the blacksmith shop, working for many lean years and growing his reputation and clientele. In 1999 Dean started to work with Steve again, this time as his employee, in the same shop that Dean had established 25 years earlier. In July 2004 Steve Lopes moved into a new, larger shop outside of town, and Dean took over once again as proprietor of the blacksmith shop in downtown Port Townsend, now known as Town Forge.