Edward Kraft bought this building in 1923 and, with his son Edgar, ran a blacksmith shop. They did horseshoeing ($3 per team, with a cash discount); made wagon, buggy, and later, auto wheels and eventually truck bodies for hauling cattle. In winter the farmers hauled ice for taverns from the lake, so he also made sled runners. During the 1940’s Edgar Kraft’s son bought a blacksmith shop in Palmyra, but it closed during World War II. He sold the East Troy shop to Carl Stouffer. To the left of the blacksmith was Mr. Schroeder’s shop (mid-1940’s). At one time people lived in this building, and there was a woodworking shop on the second floor. There was also once a harness shop, owned by Harry Neil, in the South part of this building. It later became a shoe repair shop. Merle Adams bought this shop in 1960. Joseph Barr purchased it in 1970 to use for a rug cleaning business. Later, East Troy Bible Church owned it and in 1985 John Lauber bought it and now used it for a garage and storage. He has replaced 40 panes of glass and there is still more to be repaired. This building has one of the four elevators still in East Troy, rope operated, and was used to haul wood up to the woodworking shop on the second floor.
There was also once a harness shop, owned by Harry Neil, in the South part of this building, that was later to become a shoe repair shop.
