Imagine the thrill as a little boy watching your father compete in a forging contest. Edward W. O’Brien described the dual of strength, sweat and determination between the blacksmith Pop and the younger contestant McCann in the November 2, 1940 edition of “The Saturday Evening Post.” Norman Rockwell captured the exciting conclusion. Among the 23 people in the original painting is the author as a boy next to his father, the blacksmith on the left. In May of 2018, Blacksmith’s Boy – Heel and Toe was sold for $7 million by the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. In 2003, local artist Wayne Fettro painted this partial reproduction. A self-guided tour map of mural locations in Lancaster Country is available. It suggests two days are required to see all of the outdoor art.
