The foundry has been recognized as a California Historical Landmark, a
National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark and is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. The video "Pouring Iron," sponsored
by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Friends of Knight
Foundry was produced for foundry visitor orientation.

Amador Ledger photo

Friends of Knight Foundry and other concerned preservationists also
succeeded in alerting the public and the larger preservation community:

* The History Channelaired a segment from "Pouring Iron."

* The foundry tour was for many the highlight of The Society for
Industrial Archeology's 1996 Annual Conference in Sacramento.

* The National Trust for Historic Preservation declared Knight one of
the country's eleven most endangered historic sites and and published a
feature, "Dark Foundry,"in Historic Preservation, May/June 1996.

* Smithsonianfeatured Knight as an endangered site, Sept. 1996.

* The evolving Knight foundry story has received extensive coverage in
the local and regional press.

* A new illustrated children's book about Knight Foundry by David
Weitzman, also entitled "Pouring Iron",will be released Fall 1998.

Friends of Knight Foundry
preservation effort successes
Friends made solid progress toward creating a model, revenue generating,
interpretive program and in pulling together a large, talented and diverse
group of volunteers. Friends' three-day Industrial Living History
Workshops enabled people to make their own patterns, learn green sand
molding and participate in the actual pouring of hot iron. These
workshops were always sold out and produced significant income. The
volunteers put the machine shop in working order and formed a seasoned
'pour day' crew to assist the paid staff on the foundry side. Much of the
expertise of veteran foundry workers was transferred to these volunteers
as well as to a new generation of paid staff. Finally, foundry owners, Carl
and David Borgh, have reaffirmed their long-standing commitment to the
historic preservation of Knight & Co. These human resources are a fund of
social capital which will be readily available to help with restarting
operations.

Samuel Knight Chapter SIA Newsletter

November 30, 1997

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