As early as 1847, two blacksmiths set up shop in Sainte-Adèle: one as a farrier and the other as a wheelwright. Around 1860, Israël Desjardins opened a new forge which also served as a meeting place of the municipal council.
Other blacksmiths followed: François Beauchamp, Alphonse Aveline, Wilfrid Monette and Onias (Hormidas) Lamoureux. Forges were popular meeting spots for the villagers. Here, you could have your horse shoed, play cards and tell stories. In 1929, Wilfrid Monette was in charge of perforating the iron used to raise the cross. The blacksmith shops at the time were today’s hardware stores and garages.