That unmistakable sound of the hammer hitting the anvil is a sound that will resonate forever in the hearts of the family, friends, and Festival-goers who were lucky enough to know Larry “Hoss” Crable.
“You could hear it the entire way across the park,” said Crable’s daughter Laura Goehring.
“I remember when I was little walking to the grounds and knowing the greatest weekend of the year has started when I heard the distinct hammer sound,” Niece Jillian Court recalls. “I knew that I’d find him, my aunt and cousins if I followed the sound.”
That sound is one that his loved ones will miss hearing at this year’s Ellwood City Arts, Crafts, Food, and Entertainment Festival. Crable lost his battle with pancreatic cancer this year. His memory will be recognized this year with an induction into the Festival Hall of Fame, an honor that his family says would bring him joy.
Larry “Hoss” Crable was famous for his blacksmithing demonstrations at the Festival.
“Dad would be overwhelmed at the outpouring of love and warm memories shared by so many since he passed,” said Goehring. “Everyone has a story of a conversation they had with dad or something he did to help them, and this is another testament to what he meant to so many. He put so much effort into his craft, and it is wonderful to think his memory lives on there and his work appreciated.”
His wife Kathy Crable echoed those sentiments, “The Festival to him was a chance to demonstrate his craft to others and perhaps develop an interest for someone to learn blacksmithing. As a family we are proud and honored that his talent and dedication to his craft are being recognized.”
Festival Chairwoman, Raylene Boots, also mentioned that legendary, iconic sound. She said that the committee wanted to honor a crafter as part of the 2019 Induction and when Court nominated him Boots didn’t have to ask who he was.
“I knew exactly who he was,” Boots said. “I remember hearing him working.”
Boots recalls a long memory of him at the festival doing his craft and talking with neighborhood folks and visitors.
“He certainly was an icon,” she said.
Kathy said her husband’s work can likely be found in the homes and landscaping of Ellwood City.
Larry “Hoss” Crable hard at work at the Portersville Steam Show
Through the years he had a number of items he made,” she said. “I do think he was best known for his shepherd hook plant hangers and his leaf key rings. There are many of those plant hangers in Ellwood. He did have quite a variety of things that he made though including: “S” hooks, dinner triangles, flag holders, tent stakes, lantern holders, hangers for Christmas stockings, and tripods for camp fires.”
He loved to share his blacksmithing craft, especially with the kids who would watch in awe. Court remembers the children lining the rope fence along his demonstration area, and he would explain what he was making on his forge.
“Many kids would stay there and watch him for so long until my Uncle Hoss needed to take a break,” Court said. “I remember that the kids loved the bronzed leaf keychains.”
Festival-goers in general had a favorite item that was a traditional part of Crable’s blacksmithing display: A snake made by his son, Bryan, a snake that Larry Crable cherished.
“People always wanted to buy a snake that Bryan made when he was young but my Uncle Hoss would always say ‘my son made that, it’s not for sale.’ ”
When Court heard about the hall of fame opportunity, she just knew she had to nominate her uncle “Hoss.”
“I knew that Uncle Hoss started setting up at the Festival since before I was born and my heart told me I should nominate him,” she said. “It was a very emotional nomination because he was near the end of his fight with pancreatic cancer. This was a way I could honor his life of blacksmithing for all those years.”
Public moments are what made Crable a famous Festival favorite, but it was the private moments that his family will forever hold near.
Goehring loved festival mornings with her dad.
“We always went early, 8 a.m., so we could get the tent opened and he could start his fire without it bothering too many people,” she said. “Then we would get breakfast from whichever group happened to be selling it that year and then just sit and talk and watch the festival wake up. No matter how old I got or where I lived, I tried to always have at least one of those mornings over all the years he set up.”
For Court, it was moments shared with her uncle that solidified her love of the Festival.
“I’ve known Uncle Hoss to be a blacksmith hobbyist and set up at the Festival all my life. He’s the reason the Festival is my favorite weekend of the year. His hobby created a whole new world for me when I was young,” she said. “As I got older, he allowed me to help out everyday at the booth and would pay me with Festival food. I’m sure some days I ate most of the profits.”
Truth be told, according to family and friends, although Larry Crable loved his blacksmithing, he loved socializing just as much.
“All of our family and friends would congregate by the booth and socialize for the whole weekend. People we knew would pass by the booth and we’d reign them in to the circle,” Court said. “It was always fun catching up with people and I believe this was one of my uncles favorite things about the Festival.”
Although Larry Crable’s physical presence is gone, his spirit, his legacy will remain for years to come.
“Thanks to Uncle Hoss for paving the way for our Festival family traditions and we will keep the tradition alive for his grandchildren, Jordyn and Finn,” Court said.
The Festival’s Hall of Fame Induction will take place at 1 p.m. on June 29.
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