Downieville
DOWNIEVILLE FOUNDRY
BUILT IN 1855 BY SOLOMAN PURDY OF TIMBERS MORTISED AND
FASTENED WITH WOODEN PEGS. THE "COKE" AND PIG IRON USED WAS SHIPPED "AROUND THE HORN" TO SAN FRANCISCO THEN BY PACK TRAIN TO DOWNIEVILLE AT A COST OF $40.00 PER TON. THE FOUNDRY OPERATED AT FULL CAPACITY FOR MANY YEARS FURNISHING TOOLS AND MACHINERY FOR THE 40-STAMP SIERRA BUTTES MILL. IN 1869 THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD COM- PLETION ALLOWED FOR CHEAPER GOODS. LEADING TO GRADUAL DECLINE. IN 1910 OWNER CONVERSE YOLK INSTALLED A DAM, RACEWAY AND GENERATOR ACROSS THE ROAD, FURNISHING ELECTRIC POWER TO THE TOWN. IN 1995 A NONPROFIT CORPORA- TION OF LOCAL CITIZENS LED BY LEN KINZLER PURCHASED THE STRUCTURE TO PRESERVE AND SERVE AS A MUSEUM. CREDO QUIA ABSURDUM
DEDICATED AUGUST 28, 2005 MAJOR WILLIAM DOWNIE CHAPTER 1849 E CLAMPUS VITUS
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