Hi All, Cataulpa Forge, Well, when I first fired it was near / under a Catawba Tree. I, at the time having no clue how the name was spelled. I tried to use the tree to block sunlight in the forge... Yes, I was REAL close to the tree. Let's say under.
10-15 minutes later, we looked up(a friend that got started in blacksmithin' and myself), THERE WAS NO FIRE .... BUT, on the side nearest the forge - that was in bad shape and turning brown. The leaves on a Catawba (CATAULPA ... LOL) are large and heart-shaped.
Feeling sorry for the tree and needing a name, I came up with catalpa. And I know there's no U in catawba. .... Living next to my grandmother there was this real sweet old Italian woman who, when I would visit Gram, I would go over and help. One day she said: "ya know, withoutta you I don't know what I would do...." remembering this... and thinking of what I might say in jest to a customer when they would say that there's no U in Catawba... I'd say: "Sure there is, 'Withoutta U, I'd hava no business.'" ... 'Tis true.
ED/CAT NJ 08088