FIRST MANUFACTURING SITE OF THE PELTON WHEEL

Historical Landmark

Description:
The Pelton Water Wheel, first commercially manufactured here at George Allan's Foundry and Machine Works in 1879, was a major advancement in water power utilization and greatly advanced hard-rock mining. Its unique feature was a series of paired buckets, shaped like bowls of spoons and separated by a splitter, that divided the incoming water jets into two parts. By the late 1800s, the Pelton Wheels were providing energy to operate industrial machinery throughout the world. In 1888, Lester Pelton moved his business to San Francisco, but granted continuing manufacturing rights to Allan's Foundry, where the wheels were manufactured into the early 1900s.

Registration Date: 5/27/1993

Location:
City: Nevada City
County: Nevada

Directions:
325 Spring St, Nevada City

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