Knight Foundry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Knight's Foundry and Shops
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Knight Foundry exterior
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 Location in California
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| Location | 81 Eureka Street, Sutter Creek, CA, 95685 |
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| Built | 1873 |
| Architect | Samuel N. Knight |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000423 |
| Added to NRHP | July 1, 1975 |
Knight Foundry, also known as Knight's Foundry and Shops, is a very old workshop in Sutter Creek, California. It's a special place where they used to make things from cast iron and fix machines. It opened way back in 1873. The foundry helped the gold mines and timber industry in the Mother Lode area by making and repairing heavy equipment.
Samuel N. Knight, the founder, invented a fast water turbine called the Knight Wheel. This was an early version of the famous Pelton wheel. Knight Wheels were used in some of the first hydroelectric power plants in places like California, Utah, and Oregon. What makes Knight Foundry super unique is that it's the last water-powered foundry and machine shop still around in the United States! A huge 42-inch (107 cm) Knight Wheel still powers the main machines there, and smaller water motors run other tools.
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History of Knight Foundry
Samuel Knight moved to California from Maine in 1863. He created the Knight Wheel, which was a new kind of water turbine. It worked by aiming a high-pressure stream of water slightly off-center at special cups. This design made sure the water's energy was used well. By the 1890s, over 300 Knight Wheels were made and used widely across the Western United States.
The Pelton Wheel Competition
Another inventor, Lester Allan Pelton, developed his own Pelton Wheel in 1878. It was similar but used two cups side-by-side. The water nozzle pointed directly between these cups. In 1883, the two wheel designs were compared. The Pelton Wheel turned out to be more efficient. Because of this, the Pelton Wheel became the standard for the industry. Even so, Knight improved his design by creating a better electrical governor. This device controlled the water flow to the nozzle for any type of water turbine.
Foundry's Role in the Gold Rush
During the California Gold Rush, Knight Foundry was one of many workshops in the area. It made important items needed at the time. These included mining equipment and even street lights for the growing towns. As the years passed and the gold became harder to find, the foundry stayed in business. It did this by creating special parts that couldn't be easily mass-produced.
Knight also invented other types of mining equipment. His shop received eight patents for machines they designed. One of these patents was even given after Knight passed away. Knight's special dredger pumps were used in big waterways. These included San Francisco Bay, Puget Sound, and the Willamette and Columbia Rivers.
Changes in Ownership
Samuel Knight died in 1913. He left the foundry to his employees. It stayed owned by employees until 1970, when the last employee-owner passed away. After that, Carl Borgh bought it. He was an aerospace engineer from Southern California who had been a customer.
The foundry kept running until 1996 when Borgh retired. For a while, it operated as a museum. However, there wasn't enough money to cover the high insurance costs for the old equipment. Borgh died in 1998. His family sold the company to Richard and Melissa Lyman in 2000. This couple specialized in saving old buildings. They bought it to hold it until a non-profit group could raise enough money. This group was started by Andy Fahrenwald, a filmmaker making a documentary film about the foundry. Sadly, Fahrenwald's group couldn't raise the needed funds.
In 2007, the City of Sutter Creek wanted to buy the foundry from the Lymans. But they couldn't agree on the terms, and talks ended in August 2010. The Lymans then generously gave the buildings and land to the City of Sutter Creek on December 31, 2016. A plan to preserve the foundry is now being worked on.
How Metal Objects Were Made
At Knight Foundry, making metal objects was a detailed process. It started with wood craftsmen.
Creating the Pattern
First, wood craftsmen made a model of the metal object from hardwood. They used lathes, saws, and planes. All these tools were powered by the Knight Wheels! This model was called a pattern.
Making the Mold
Next, the pattern was placed in a casting flask. This flask is like a box without a top or bottom, split in half. The flask was put on a board. Then, a special sand mixture was poured and packed tightly around the pattern. This sand mixture contained seacoal, bentonite clay, and pitch. These additives made the sand hard and stable. The flask could then be split apart, and the pattern removed. This left an exact impression, or mold, in the sand. The pattern could be used many times to make more molds.
Pouring the Metal
A channel, or gate, was left in the sand. When the flask was put back together, ironworkers could pour hot, melted iron into this opening. Once the iron cooled and became solid, the flask was broken apart. This destroyed the sand mold, but it revealed the rough new metal object.
Knight Foundry Today
Knight Foundry is a very important historical site. It is registered as a California Historical Landmark. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has named it a Mechanical Engineering Historic Site. The Smithsonian Institution even called it one of America's Most Endangered Places.
The land and buildings were given to the city of Sutter Creek, California, on December 31, 2016. On March 4, 2017, an open house was held. Many of the old machines were shown working! This open house also helped raise money to buy the equipment inside the buildings. The goal is to create a "living museum" where people can see how things were made long ago.
You can visit Knight Foundry on the second Saturday of each month for self-guided tours. Private tours are also available for individuals and groups. School children and other educational groups are especially encouraged to visit!
Knight Foundry Alliance is a non-profit organization (501(c)(3)).
