A remnant of the past, a unique piece of living history untouched by modernization: the Knight Foundry in Sutter Creek is a truly rare gem. The site draws in visitors from the Motherlode to international tourists, interested in seeing firsthand the machines, tools and techniques that literally built our modern lives and changed the Western world forever.
At its basis, foundry work is an art form…the ability to transform ingots into tools and machines, all created from a vision. A foundry was the real heart of a community: any industry or business, even the local farmer who needed a new tool or piece of equipment would visit their foundry.
Owners like entrepreneur and visionary Samuel Knight (namesake of the Knight Foundry) would sit down with the client, where the issue and proposed solution would be discussed. From there, Knight worked his magic, utilizing creativity, ingenuity and adaptability to handcraft the smallest gears to the streetlights of San Francisco – and everything in between, powered by his water wheel invention.