Historic foundry gets state grant

A historic Gold Rush foundry in this Sierra foothills town has received a key state grant needed for acquisition and restoration of the site.

More than $870,000 has been awarded for renovation of the Knight Foundry, an 1872 water-powered ironworks that is the last of its kind in the U.S.

The grant from the California Cultural and Historical Endowment is needed to preserve the foundry, which remained in continuous operation until a decade ago.

The city of Sutter Creek has agreed to purchase the foundry, and the nonprofit Knight Foundry Corp. is slated to run the facility as a working heritage museum featuring traditional cast-iron production.

-- Eric Bailey