Miners Foundry
Encyclopedia
The Miners Foundry is located at 325 Spring Street, Nevada City, California
, USA. Built in Nevada County
in 1856, it is a California Historical Landmark
as, in 1879, the foundry became the first manufacturing site of the Pelton wheel
.
foundry and blacksmith
shop was situated in a rented building on Spring Street behind the National Exchange Hotel
. The Nevada Foundry was built to serve the needs of loggers and California Gold Rush
miners who were working mines in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Nevada City's fire of July 1856 destroyed the small foundry operated by Coker. Afterwards, he acquired a new site on the corner of Bridge and Spring streets and began construction on a new building, constructed of native timber and stone. In 1857, the Nevada Foundry had built its first entire steam engine. But before the new building was completed, Coker lost interest in the business and sold the machinery to David Thom, Thomas J. Williams and J. Jones. By 1859, Jones was no longer associated with the business, and Williams had sold out to William Heugh, leaving William Heugh and David Thom as proprietors of the Nevada Iron and Brass Foundry and Machine Shop. In 1866, they employed approximately 22 men. In the following year, the largest casting
made at their foundry was the mortar of a quartz mill weighing 5,600 pounds, and thought to be the heaviest mortar in the state of California.
Heugh died in 1867 and his business interests were acquired by George Grant Allan who became a partner of David Thom, though Allan's ownership was not established until 1871. Their foundry fabricated mining equipment, stamp mill
s, and mining tools. By 1868, it employed approximately 150 men. There were machine shops and boiler works. The works, driven by a 60 horse power steam engine
, consumed 1800 tons of pig iron
, 300 tons of wrought iron
, and 700 tons of coal. In one month of 1872, the North Bloomfield Mining and Gravel Company
made a $30,000 purchase.
of Camptonville
invented a new type of water wheel in the late 1880s. He brought it to Allan's foundry, where he and Allan tested it before manufacturing the first Pelton wheel
. When the foundry could not keep up with Pelton wheel orders, production for the Pelton wheel was moved to San Francisco, though limited production of it continued at Allan's foundry. In 1892, Allan brought his son, Albert D. Allan, into the business as his partner and the younger Allan became the successor sole proprietor.
William H. Martin also owned a foundry higher up on Spring Street, at Bennett Street. In 1906, W.H. Martin, W.R. Martin, Miss May C. Martin, B.J. Hall, and J.G. O'Neill incorporated the Miners Foundry Co. W.H. Martin purchased Allan's Foundry from the estate in 1907 and renamed it Miners Foundry and Supply Co. He was the sole proprietor until 1821 when, in that year, he transferred ownership to his son-in-law, Richard Goyne. Under Goyne, times changed and the foundry began fabricated steel. It built mining tools, equipment, and vehicles, such as the side-dump ore car
, ball mill
, and scoop feed. It also built non-mining commercial vehicles. In 1947, it diversified. A new division began selling welding supplies, legging supplies, rubber products, and Bethlehem Steel
wire rope
while another division began producing a centrifugal juicer
Ray Amick owned the foundry from 1965 until 1974 when manufacturing in the foundry ended. In 1972, the building was purchased by the American Victorian Museum and two years later, it was converted into a non-profit cultural center that is used by 50,000 people each year.
plaque, No. 1012, and dated May 11, 1994 was added to the site in honor of the Pelton wheel's history associated with the foundry. In 1986, the Nevada City Constitutional Commission and E Clampus Vitus
added another marker.
On July 29, 2011, rock band, Red Hot Chili Peppers
played a invitation only show at the Miners Foundry Cultural Center.
Nevada City, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Nevada City had a population of 3,068. The population density was 1,399.7 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Nevada City was 2,837 White, 26 African American, 28 Native American, 46 Asian, 0 Pacific Islander, 40 from other races,...
, USA. Built in Nevada County
Nevada County, California
Nevada County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of California, in the Mother Lode country. As of 2010 its population was 98,764. The county seat is Nevada City.-History:Nevada County was created in 1851 from parts of Yuba County....
in 1856, it is a California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
as, in 1879, the foundry became the first manufacturing site of the Pelton wheel
Pelton wheel
The Pelton wheel is an impulse turbine which is among the most efficient types of water turbines. It was invented by Lester Allan Pelton in the 1870s. The Pelton wheel extracts energy from the impulse of moving water, as opposed to its weight like traditional overshot water wheel...
.
History
Edward Coker started up the Nevada Iron Foundry and Machine Shop in 1855. The ironworksIronworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
foundry and blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shop was situated in a rented building on Spring Street behind the National Exchange Hotel
National Exchange Hotel
The National Exchange Hotel , listed on the National Register of Historic Places and a California Historical Landmark, is one of the oldest continuously operated hotels west of the Rockies. It opened in August 1856 under the name of "Bicknell Block".In 1863 there was a fire and the hotel was shut...
. The Nevada Foundry was built to serve the needs of loggers and California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
miners who were working mines in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Nevada City's fire of July 1856 destroyed the small foundry operated by Coker. Afterwards, he acquired a new site on the corner of Bridge and Spring streets and began construction on a new building, constructed of native timber and stone. In 1857, the Nevada Foundry had built its first entire steam engine. But before the new building was completed, Coker lost interest in the business and sold the machinery to David Thom, Thomas J. Williams and J. Jones. By 1859, Jones was no longer associated with the business, and Williams had sold out to William Heugh, leaving William Heugh and David Thom as proprietors of the Nevada Iron and Brass Foundry and Machine Shop. In 1866, they employed approximately 22 men. In the following year, the largest casting
Casting
In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process...
made at their foundry was the mortar of a quartz mill weighing 5,600 pounds, and thought to be the heaviest mortar in the state of California.
Heugh died in 1867 and his business interests were acquired by George Grant Allan who became a partner of David Thom, though Allan's ownership was not established until 1871. Their foundry fabricated mining equipment, stamp mill
Stamp mill
A stamp mill is a type of mill machine that crushes material by pounding rather than grinding, either for further processing or for extraction of metallic ores. Breaking material down is a type of unit operation....
s, and mining tools. By 1868, it employed approximately 150 men. There were machine shops and boiler works. The works, driven by a 60 horse power steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
, consumed 1800 tons of pig iron
Pig iron
Pig iron is the intermediate product of smelting iron ore with a high-carbon fuel such as coke, usually with limestone as a flux. Charcoal and anthracite have also been used as fuel...
, 300 tons of wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
, and 700 tons of coal. In one month of 1872, the North Bloomfield Mining and Gravel Company
North Bloomfield Mining and Gravel Company
The North Bloomfield Mining and Gravel Company of North Bloomfield, California, was established in 1866 and operated a hydraulic gold-mining operation at the Malakoff Mine subsequent to the California Gold Rush...
made a $30,000 purchase.
Pelton wheel
In 1876, Allan bought out Thom and changed the business name to George Allan's Foundry and Machine Works. It was during Allan's ownership of the foundry that Lester Allan PeltonLester Allan Pelton
Lester Allan Pelton was an American inventor who contibuted significantly to the development of hydropower and hydroelectric power in the old West and world-wide. In the late 1870's he invented the Pelton water wheel, then the most efficient design of the impulse water turbine...
of Camptonville
Camptonville, California
Camptonville is a small town and census-designated place located in northeastern Yuba County, California. The town is located northeast of Marysville, off Highway 49 between Downieville and Nevada City. It is located on a ridge between the North Fork and Middle Fork of the Yuba River, not far...
invented a new type of water wheel in the late 1880s. He brought it to Allan's foundry, where he and Allan tested it before manufacturing the first Pelton wheel
Pelton wheel
The Pelton wheel is an impulse turbine which is among the most efficient types of water turbines. It was invented by Lester Allan Pelton in the 1870s. The Pelton wheel extracts energy from the impulse of moving water, as opposed to its weight like traditional overshot water wheel...
. When the foundry could not keep up with Pelton wheel orders, production for the Pelton wheel was moved to San Francisco, though limited production of it continued at Allan's foundry. In 1892, Allan brought his son, Albert D. Allan, into the business as his partner and the younger Allan became the successor sole proprietor.
William H. Martin also owned a foundry higher up on Spring Street, at Bennett Street. In 1906, W.H. Martin, W.R. Martin, Miss May C. Martin, B.J. Hall, and J.G. O'Neill incorporated the Miners Foundry Co. W.H. Martin purchased Allan's Foundry from the estate in 1907 and renamed it Miners Foundry and Supply Co. He was the sole proprietor until 1821 when, in that year, he transferred ownership to his son-in-law, Richard Goyne. Under Goyne, times changed and the foundry began fabricated steel. It built mining tools, equipment, and vehicles, such as the side-dump ore car
Railroad car
A railroad car or railway vehicle , also known as a bogie in Indian English, is a vehicle on a rail transport system that is used for the carrying of cargo or passengers. Cars can be coupled together into a train and hauled by one or more locomotives...
, ball mill
Ball mill
A ball mill is a type of grinder used to grind materials into extremely fine powder for use in mineral dressing processes, paints, pyrotechnics, and ceramics.-Description:...
, and scoop feed. It also built non-mining commercial vehicles. In 1947, it diversified. A new division began selling welding supplies, legging supplies, rubber products, and Bethlehem Steel
Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...
wire rope
Wire rope
thumb|Steel wire rope Wire rope is a type of rope which consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a helix. Initially wrought iron wires were used, but today steel is the main material used for wire ropes....
while another division began producing a centrifugal juicer
Juicer
A juicer is a tool for extracting juice from fruits, vegetables, or wheatgrass. This is known as juicing.-Citrus juicer:A citrus juicer is used for squeezing juice from soft-centered, citrus fruits . It has a conical ridged center...
Ray Amick owned the foundry from 1965 until 1974 when manufacturing in the foundry ended. In 1972, the building was purchased by the American Victorian Museum and two years later, it was converted into a non-profit cultural center that is used by 50,000 people each year.
Landmark
For over 110 years, the building was continuously used as a foundry. A California Historical LandmarkCalifornia Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
plaque, No. 1012, and dated May 11, 1994 was added to the site in honor of the Pelton wheel's history associated with the foundry. In 1986, the Nevada City Constitutional Commission and E Clampus Vitus
E Clampus Vitus
The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus is a fraternal organization dedicated to the study and preservation of Western heritage, especially the history of the Mother Lode and gold mining regions of the area...
added another marker.
On July 29, 2011, rock band, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
played a invitation only show at the Miners Foundry Cultural Center.