A craftsman bridges eras in Long Island City 1
The Adam C. Krakenberg Blacksmith Shop, 33-02 29 St., Long Island City, June 2, 1927.
Posted: Thursday, October 20, 2016 10:30 am
Queens Chronicle
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Adam Krakenberg, who was born in 1874, found his passion early in life, at 33-02 29 St. in Long Island City around 1900.
In an era when many people owned horses, his lucrative occupation allowed him to buy a house at 33-26 28 Street. His wife Carrie, two years younger than him, raised four children there.
By the late 1920s, business had fallen off with the advent of the automobile. But he still serviced milk and produce wagons that were still horse-drawn in the area.
By 1935 he had the distinction of being the only blacksmith still open every day in Long Island City.
One son Harold wisely decided on a career change and became an automobile mechanic. Another, Fred, became a letter carrier.
By 1940 the area now was a beautiful residential area — his shack was the only commercial structure and an eyesore in the neighborhood. The building eventually was sold and two homes are now on the corner. Even the home the Krakenbergs lived in was sold and demolished in 1965 and replaced with a multi-family structure.
Eventually, decades later, other blacksmiths popped up in Long Island City, but they specialized in ornamental fences and steel cellar doors.
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Thursday, October 20, 2016 10:30 am.
