Who Loves History?!
This month we are sharing the history of our little office on the square. Situated on Lot 1 Block 1 of the original townsite of Jacksboro, this corner on the square has witnessed the passage of Jack County time. Today, the building has undergone a remarkable revival - while preserving as much of the charming original features as possible - and stands ready to welcome again!
The story of 125 E Archer…
The story of 125 E. Archer begins with the very formation of Jacksboro. As Lot 1, Block 1 of the Original Townsite; it appears on the town's original 1863 plat. Positioned on the northeast corner of the public square, it has occupied a prominent place in the community for more than 160 years.
The earliest evidence points to the location being the blacksmith. An 1894 Jacksboro Newspaper advertisement for J. A. Calvert advertised blacksmithing on the northeast side of the square. The corner location would certainly have been practical for the trade. Historically; blacksmith shops were often positioned where smoke, sparks, fire risk, wagon access, and prevailing winds could be considered so not to infiltrate the other businesses. This location, considering the prevalent southwest winds, would have made the northeast corner the prime location and is again later verified on the 1921 Sanborn Fire Map as Lot 1 Block 1 being Blacksmith & Horseshoeing.
By 1912, the story of the corner lot can be clearly verified. A February issue of the Jacksboro Gazette reported that John Robinson of Fort Worth had taken a position in A. L. Morgan's blacksmith shop. The Morgan name and blacksmithing continued to appear in the local paper. References show the Morgan shop continuing in operation, including notices of others working in, or leasing the shop. Imagine the surprise when the old deed was found listing A.L. Morgan as "Alice Lilly Morgan."
In September 1931, the Jacksboro Gazette announced that Wright Davis, formerly of Jermyn, and described as "an experienced and well known around the county blacksmith," had taken over the Morgan blacksmith shop. Davis also advertised his new business himself, telling the community that he would guarantee his blacksmithing work. In 1936, A. L. Morgan and her husband conveyed the property to Wright Davis and B. B. Davis for $900. The deed specifically identifies the property as Lot 1, Block 1 on the north side of the County Public Square. That deed connects the Morgan and Davis families directly to the same property and confirms the blacksmithing history!
Under the Davis family, the business evolved along with rural North Texas. What began as traditional blacksmithing grew into welding, machining, and agricultural equipment. Newspaper advertisements eventually carried the name Wright Davis & Sons, and by the late 1940s the company was advertising welding & modern farm machinery. The lettering of the Wright Davis & Sons business remained visible on the building's brick façade decades later—a physical reminder of the craftsmen who worked there. Wright's son, "Buck" Davis, carried forward the family's connection to the business and property. After Buck's death, Jack County Commissioners agreed in 1989 to purchase what the local paper referred to as "the old Buck Davis building." For approximately the next 33 years, the property remained in Jack County ownership and continued to be identified in county records as the Davis Building. The county used the building for storage for a period of time, and it later sat largely vacant. In 2022, Jack County accepted a bid, returning the property to private ownership; however, the building remained vacant until subsequently purchased by the Hettingers in late 2023. By then, the old corner building needed far more than a cosmetic update. But underneath decades of alterations, vacancy and deterioration remained the bones of a place that had served Jacksboro craftsmen for generations.
The Hettingers chose to preserve wherever possible. Original brick was restored, historic concrete window sills were retained, and old materials were incorporated alongside new construction. Today, the building is home to Sunfish Pools and First Choice Custom Builders, once again making Lot 1, Block 1 a place where things are designed, built and created.
Only after beginning the rehab did they discover how closely the building's history paralleled their own. Both families come from generations of the Western way of life, horseshoeing, and craftsmanship. Crystal's father is a horse shoer & rancher, and her grandfather enjoyed crafting handmade bits and spurs. Jake's great-grandfather operated his own blacksmith shop, and Jake himself shod horses during his college and early rodeo years. Today, an old black-and-white photograph of Jake's great-grandfather standing in his 1926 blacksmith shop hangs above Jake's desk inside the restored building. Also pictured is the building's exposed historic brick & a steer skull bearing a local VFW flag. Inside you can see a custom wood header made from remnants found during the cleanup; the wood was buried under years of tin & sheetrock and was covered with old, trial branding iron marks from a time long ago.
For at least 114 years, we can document a story here involving blacksmiths, welders, machinists, builders and makers. What can be said with certainty is that a property laid out on Jacksboro's original townsite in 1863 has survived more than a century and a half of change. The tools and trades have evolved—from forge and anvil, to welding, to modern construction and design
but the spirit of craftsmanship has remained remarkably consistent.