Alfred (Al) Knott was born in South Dakota in 1891. He left South Dakota with his mother Eliza Knott and moved to California in 1908 (at the age of 13). Eliza bought some property at the north west corner of Lake Elsinore. Al got a job working for Amos Sykes, farming in the Murrieta area, making $300 per season raising grain and wheat. (A season in California is from March through the early part of October, planting to harvest). In the winter months he worked for Farrell Freeman, a cattleman who owned a blacksmith shop in the town of Temecula (Temecula Iron Works) at the N/E corner of Front & 5th St.
In 1912, Farrell asked Al if he would like to purchase the blacksmith shop, because he didn't have enough time to run it, and his cattle operation at the same time. Al told Farrell that he didn't have money to take such an offer. Farrell said that was O.K., he could pay him when he could. AL accepted the offer and moved the building from where it sat on Front & 5th, across the street to the west side of Front St. onto 10 lots of property he purchased.
He recruited help and lifted the building off its foundation blocks and set it onto dollies (axle and wheels), hitched up a team of mules and moved the building across the street.
Al noticed how popular the automobile was becoming, so once again, in 1918, he moved the blacksmith shop farther back into his property, and he built an automobile repair shop facing Hwy 395 (Front St).
Al said that was the first time he took out a loan. It cost him $1800 to build Knott's Garage, his automobile repair shop, using terricota blocks, manufactured in the little town of Alberhill, just north of Elsinore, Ca. It only took him a couple of years to repay his loan, due to his speculation on the success of the automobile. His garage was one of the only places where a traveler could get their cars repaired between Riverside and San Diego for many years.
Al provided the area with horse shoeing, wagon, farming implement, automotive, and truck repairs for many years. He sold the business and property in 1967 and moved to the small town of Rainbow, Ca. He passed away in 1982.
Al Knott's Garage
Al Knott with grandson Gene Knott working in the shop.
Al Knott - Temecula Village Blacksmith
La Laguna Revue, Vol. 5, Number 1, November, 1965
Over fifty years ago, a young man named Al Knott began making his living in the blacksmith trade in the township of Temecula in a building located on the corner where the Palomar Hotel now stands.
Today, in Riverside County, he is probably the last man still doing this type of work and according to Webster, "Metallurgy is the art and science of separating metals from their ores and preparing them for reuse.", and Al Knott is one man who knows how to create branding irons and fit a horse with new shoes.
In the year 1918, Mr. Knott built a garage and moved his blacksmith business into an adjoining building where he continued his work until 1956 when he gave up the garage work.
He is presently doing general repairing and making metal articles for friends.
In his time, as an active blacksmith, he repaired many a buggy and wagon wheel, shod over 10,000 horses, repaired plows and made branding irons. He still uses his forge in the making of iron decorations for windows, hanging lamps, candle holders and fancy gate designs.
High on the wall is the board with the many brands Al has put on irons for various customers.Today Al's fire is kept burning but now it is more for luxury items and not the necessary.
