Forging a Future: Steven Bailey rekindles an historic craft in Vicksburg

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — In the heart of Vicksburg, Mississippi, an ancient art form is sparking back to life, one hammer strike at a time. At Lakeside Forge, located on Drummond St., what began as a boy’s curiosity in a summer camp workshop has grown into a full-fledged blacksmithing enterprise. Behind it is Steven Bailey, a self-taught blacksmith blending tradition, innovation, and community in every piece he creates.

Originally founded in 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia, Lakeside Forge is the product of Bailey’s dedication to mastering a centuries-old trade. His introduction to blacksmithing came at Camp Sequoia in Alabama, where a simple metal trinket forged with the help of an instructor lit a fire, both literally and figuratively. A $50 bet with his mother (to fund materials for a homemade forge) launched him into experimentation. The first fire burned wildly out of control, fueled by coal he found online. Yet from that chaotic beginning came a passion that would shape his career.

Bailey developed his skills through video tutorials and one-on-one mentorships made possible by scholarships from the Ocmulgee Blacksmith Guild and the Alex Bealer Blacksmith Guild in Georgia. Over time, he advanced from mangled beginner pieces to expert craftsmanship using both ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

Today, Bailey’s shop produces handcrafted items ranging from bottle openers and rings to hammers, axes, and knives. Lakeside Forge also creates specialized blacksmithing tools and is exploring the possibility of offering community classes.

Though many mistakenly refer to blacksmithing as “ironwork,” Bailey clarifies that most modern blacksmiths forge with steel in many forms. He also works with aluminum, titanium, copper, silver, and bronze. What sets Bailey apart is his blend of German, Israeli, and American techniques, which he fuses to create distinctive, functional pieces of art.

Even seemingly simple projects, like forging a steel leaf, require complex processes involving heat, symmetry, and technique. For Bailey, blacksmithing is about more than skill; it’s about breathing life into cold, rigid metal through form and purpose.

“In blacksmithing, tradition is the technique,” he says. “Innovation is how you apply it in the modern world.”

Now based in Vicksburg, Bailey sees his craft as part of the city’s ongoing legacy. Once known as the “Vienna of the South,” Vicksburg was historically home to numerous blacksmiths who supported river commerce and built the metal framework of the community. Today, Lakeside Forge may be the only active shop in town.

Bailey’s contributions extend beyond his workshop. He has demonstrated his skills at the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Museum’s Pickle Fest, the Mississippi Craftsmen’s Guild, and through the Mississippi Forge Council, which hosts educational “green coal classes” for beginners. His work has even supported historical restoration efforts, including the preservation of steel fixtures at Reynolds Plantation on Georgia’s Sapelo Island through the Ocmulgee Guild.

As a lifelong learner, Bailey encourages others to explore the craft through local blacksmith guilds. He’s particularly passionate about sharing blacksmithing broader role in history, far beyond the swords and knives popularized by modern TV shows.

“People think of blades, but blacksmiths made nails, tools, hinges, and more,” Bailey says. “We built the things that built communities.”

Being part of the Vicksburg arts scene means joining a creative, supportive network of makers. For Bailey, that community fuels his creativity and offers a platform to preserve and promote an art form that once defined towns like his.

Running a small-scale blacksmithing business comes with challenges, chief among them sourcing coal and specialty metals in manageable quantities. But the rewards, Bailey says, are worth every strike of the hammer.

Among his proudest achievements are the blacksmithing hammers he forged himself, tools made by tools he also created. The most unusual commission? Forging rocks out of steel, a project that required skillfully imitating natural textures.

Bailey’s most treasured tool is a 224-pound South-German anvil, forged in 1912, which remains a central part of his shop. When he works, the soundtrack is classic, Mississippi blues and R&B from the 1960s and ’70s echo through the forge as the rhythm of metalwork takes over.

As Lakeside Forge continues to grow, Steven Bailey hopes to spark greater interest in blacksmithing across Vicksburg and beyond. With each piece he crafts, he honors the past while forging a creative future in a city that’s long been shaped by hard work, artistry, and resilience.