The Fisher & Norris Factory Museum in Tinton Falls, New Jersey is a private museum devoted to one subject: the anvil. This humble tool used by blacksmiths and best known for falling on top of coyotes is an object of fascination to Joshua Kavett, the founder of the museum.
A company named Fisher & Norris manufactured anvils until 1979. Kavett toured its defunct factory shortly before it was demolished and rescued many anvils from it. He became fascinated with anvils and this particular company and wrote the definitive history of it before opening his museum.
My dad’s anvil museum definitely falls under this category.https://t.co/HmYutwSEei pic.twitter.com/vNE8PnmpvK
— Karen Puzzles 🧩 (@karenpuzzles) September 24, 2022
I learned about this museum as a result of a delightful Twitter exchange about small museums created by eccentric people.
I enjoy small, obscure museums. One of my favorites is the O'Donnell Heritage Museum, once known as the Dan Blocker Museum of O'Donnell*, Texas. Dan Blocker, the actor who played Hoss Cartwright on the western TV series Bonanza, was raised in O'Donnell.
-via Super Punch | Photo: Billy Hathorn
*O'Donnell is pronounced with an emphasis on the first syllable. Locals will sternly correct you if you put the emphasis on the second syllable.