Eugene “E.O.” Peltier: The Village Blacksmith

The first blacksmith in Hugo was a man from Canada. He set up shop doing repairs and shoeing horses East of Hugo near Oneka Lake. Eugene was the second blacksmith and came to Hugo in 1925. After seeing the area grow with farms, he saw the

need for tool manufacturing and repair. His business was up and running by 1926.

“EO’s father, Joesph Paul, retired and bought the house across the street from the blacksmith shop… he lived [there] until his death at 96.” - Jerry Peltier

Eugene’s shop in Centerville, MN E.O. (right) in his shop in Hugo

“E.O. repaired equipment for farmers. During in the war years, materials were scarce and farmers had to rebuild equipment. The farmers, especially out East of Hugo, dealt with rocks in their fields and often had to get their plowshares and equipment fixed. When they brought them into EO they bartered with him to pay. If they had just butchered [livestock], they sometimes aid paid with chickens, beef, or pork.

I remember that EO had quite a relationship with them — he spoke several languages that were common in the area.”

- Jerry Peltier

Customers came into [the shop] and greeted EO with, “Hello Gene, what’s new?” EO knew what was going on in the community, he was part of the ‘verbal newspaper’ [in] the area. He didn’t have anyone working for him, so he greeted everyone himself.

One of the memories I enjoy from the early years at the shop, was watching him trim and shoe horses, and the many times I helped set the steal rims on the wooden wagon wheels he repaired.”

- Jerry Peltier

Eugene Oliver Peltier

E.O. was an excellent self-taught metallurgist. There are many items still in the community that E.O. created. They are in churches, cemeteries, and in people’s homes. He made the blacksmith sign that that still hands in the Blacksmith Lounge Restaurant — originally owned by Gene Jr., EO’s son.

He made kitchen knife sets [and] a hunting knife for me when I turned 16. The altar railings were made for the Hugo Church in 1947 after it was rebuilt [following] the fire. I helped him finish them, and they were given to me in later years when the church removed them.”- Jerry Peltier

[The shop] was very dark and grimy as the windows were very dark, and light came through the front doors. It was not very big and most work was done on the floor just inside of the front sliding doors. There might have been a pot bellied stove, but it was cold inside.

There were lots of projects, and lots of clutter. There were overhead wheels with belts to power the woodworking tools. It was very smokey and smelled like burned metal.

Grandpa would electric weld without goggles with a cigar sticking out long and straight between his lips — not in the corner of his mouth, but sticking straight out from the middle of his lips with smoke curling up. He didn’t suck on it, it wasn’t wet, and it never went out. He had thick white hair combed back, no hat. He had big hands and smelled like beer and burnt coal. - Archie Peltier, on his Grandfather EO

“World War II changed live in Hugo. Before the war there not any big changes in relation to progress. Once the war started man power was needed in the defense plants to manufacture war products, so people left their farms for those jobs [during the workday] while continuing to run their farms. The shifting of the workforce caused many changes in Hugo.

Many men left for the military. After the war roads were paved and returning vets built homes, started families, and businesses expanded.

The deepest impression of my memories growing up in the Hugo-Centerville community was of people caring for people, and the selfless giving of help to neighbors in need. Community volunteers were the backbone and foundation of growth in those early years, and remain a key part of the community support system today.” - Jerry Peltier

Memories of the Village Blacksmith: Gerald “Jerry” Peltier, grandson

“I’m honored to be asked to share my memories and family history as it pertains to the Hugo

blacksmith shop, “E O Peltier, Blacksmith”: his heritage, his trade, his legacy.

As the oldest grandson of Eugene Oliver Peltier, I had the pleasure of his love, friendship, and

teachings in the many years spent with him in the shop, hunting, and socializing”

- Jerry PeltierCaptioned: “Pa [right] and Gerald [left] in front of

the shop. You can see Joe T. Marier [shadow].”

“That’s Grandpa Gene in the blacksmith shop. He built beautiful duck boats… he

made this trailer for it too out of an old car axle… this would’ve been about 1956”

- Jerry Peltier

Gerald inside the shop

Gerald Peltier

D.R. Johnson (L) and Eugene (E.O) Peltier (R) in shop, 1933.

“Archie and I helping with remodeling [the shop]. We fixed the

window, and that’s when [EO] put up this facade… and then we put on a new roof. That was my folks house

in the back — right there in the NorthWest corner.”

- Jerry Peltier

E.O. standing in front of his shop during remodeling