Entry No. 18 — the Missoula file — filed under: hands-on
Missoula Urban Demonstration Project (MUD)
MUD is a scrappy sustainability nonprofit that runs hands-on skill workshops, including blacksmithing taught for years by Mark Vander Meer. In a session you light the forge, heat an iron spike until it glows red-hot and malleable, then hammer it on the anvil into something useful like a coat hook. It is loud, hot, genuinely old-world work rather than a sanitized craft kit.
The story
Tucked away at 1527 Wyoming Street, the Missoula Urban Demonstration Project does not look like a typical polished community center. It operates as a scrappy, hands-on sustainability hub and tool library built around the hard-knocks reality of urban self-reliance. Instead of offering sanitized DIY tutorials or pre-packaged craft kits, MUD anchors its workshops in raw, old-world trades that leave coal soot under your fingernails and ringing in your ears.
The centerpiece of these practical trade offerings is the blacksmithing workshop, taught for years by instructor Mark Vander Meer. You do not work with pre-cut craft metal or play tools here. You light a real coal forge yourself, coax the hearth until an iron spike glows red-hot and pliable, and then beat it into shape against a heavy anvil until you turn scrap metal into a functional coat hook.
What it's like
Stepping onto the Wyoming Street site feels like entering a working yard rather than a climate-controlled classroom. Expect intense forge heat, coal smoke, and the relentless clanging of steel against steel. Wear non-synthetic clothing like cotton or canvas along with heavy closed-toe boots, because flying sparks will melt right through fleece and synthetic sneakers. Workshops run periodically and fill quickly, so monitor mudproject.org and book a slot as soon as new dates post.
The move: Sign up together for a blacksmithing workshop and forge a pair of hooks from raw iron spikes over the coals.
📍 Before you go Blacksmithing workshops run periodically through the year and fill quickly; check MUD's current workshop calendar at mudproject.org for the next session.
- 📍 Missoula
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1527 Wyoming St, Missoula, MT 59801
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Westside Lanes & Fun Center — Located just a block away, making it an easy place to grab a cold drink and bowl a game after you wash the forge dust off your hands.
- Throw Ceramics — Head two blocks toward the river trail if you want to trade heavy anvil work for pulling raw clay on a spinning wheel.
- Silver Park Sculpture Park — Walk half a mile south to Silver Park to look at large-scale steel and stone sculptures along the river after forging your own iron spike.
Good to know
Where is MUD located and how do I register for a class?
MUD is located at 1527 Wyoming St in Missoula. Workshop calendars are published periodically at mudproject.org, where you must register online in advance.
What do you actually do during the blacksmithing workshop?
You light a coal forge, heat raw iron spikes until they turn red-hot, and hammer them on an anvil into practical hardware like coat hooks using traditional metalworking techniques.
Who leads the blacksmithing classes?
Blacksmithing workshops at MUD have been taught for years by local instructor Mark Vander Meer.
What should I wear to the forge?
Wear natural non-synthetic fabrics like cotton or denim and sturdy closed-toe leather shoes to protect against hot coals and flying sparks.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · guidestar.org · missoulian.com
last checked: 2026-06-24