JAKE JACKSON MUSEUM & HISTORY CENTER
The creation of a working old time tin shop was included in the Museum’s 1975 Long Range Plan, along with the blacksmith shop. The antique equipment was installed and operational in 1989. It is now used by our own tinsmiths in demonstrating the use of the tools to school tours, bus tours and to the general public during the Saturdays of 3-day weekends and on the 4th of July.
The Tin Shop occupies the right-hand side of the same building which houses the blacksmith shop. This pioneer shop was inspired by Max Lang’s Tin Shop with the support of his descendants. Lang also operated a general merchandise store for about 30 years in the brick building that still stands at the northeast corner of Main Street and Highway 3 in Weaverville. Max Lang’s Tin Shop was originally located across Main Street from his store.
When Max Lang retired, he sold his shop to Ann Whitebread. It changed from owner to owner and smith to smith through the years. As this project developed, it was discovered that Hal Goodyear was in possession of a treasured collection of tin smithing equipment that descended to him from his grandfather and uncle’s partnership, Miller & Goodyear. Many of the machines in the shop were manufactured by companies that had gone out of business by 1870. It is very likely that Max Lang, and other tinsmiths including Whitbread, John Timmerman, H.T. Bush, and Anderline & Miller had used most of this equipment.