Founded in the 1950s by his father, Louis Herrera Jr. now carries on the fine tradition of creating original handcrafted ironwork for Herrera Ornamental Iron Works, Inc.  Our History Louis Herrera Sr. founded Herrera Ornamental Iron Works in the 1950s. As a young man in 1945, he joined the Army Air Corp. After leaving the service, he trained and apprenticed under the GI Bill at Boyce Iron Works in Austin. There he learned ironworking, metal smithing and the art of forging ornamental iron work. In 1952, he met and married his wife, Dominga. In 1953, they started Herrera Ornamental Iron Works. They built their shop and home from the ground up themselves. The business was a family affair with the children helping to clean the shop, learning the trade or helping with office chores. Louis Herrera Sr.’s work can still be found at many businesses and homes in the Austin area. In 1989, Louis Herrera Jr. continued with the business.