Preservation Snapshots: Al Watts and the Alexander Bros. Blacksmith Shop in Geneva, IL

On Tuesday, November 12, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., Al Watts from Preservation Partners of Fox Valley joined Landmarks Illinois Advocacy Manager Kendra Parzen for a Preservation Snapshot presentation and update on the Alexander Brothers Blacksmith Shop.
The Alexander Brothers Blacksmith Shop is one of Geneva’s oldest surviving commercial structures. The original one-story limestone structure was built in 1846. Throughout its history, it has been occupied by many other businesses. Its storied 180-year history and prominent location on the shores of the Fox River have secured its reputation as a beloved, iconic and irreplaceable piece of Geneva’s industrial history.
The Blacksmith Shop first landed on Landmarks Illinois’ Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois in 2018, under the heading “Early Settlement-era Buildings, Geneva.” Local advocacy efforts resulted in the Blacksmith Shop’s designation as a Geneva Landmark in 2018, and its demolition was prevented.
It was listed again in 2023 as it once again faces demolition.