The West Point Foundry
|Artifacts|

    The West Point foundry collection of artifacts, documents, photographs, and blue prints are central to the Mission of the Putnam County Historical Society and Foundry School Museum.  The collection of documents began in the early years of the Society before there was a building of the Museum.  Chartered in 1908, meetings of the Board of Directors, members and volunteers, were held in individuals' homes and later in the Butterfield Library, where some cabinets were dedicated to the growing collection.  In 1960 the Foundry School, built in 1830 for the Foundry apprentices, was purchased by the Society as a facility for the historical collections and eventually as the Museum.  The collection of Furnishings, china, glass, photographs, painting from members and friends and especially artifacts and documents from the Foundry, gifts from its former management and workers' descendants, began in earnest.

    Joe Chapman, a Garrison resident architectural and graphics designer, volunteered to design the gallery space as well as the exhibit.  After consultation with Doris Shaw, Executive Director and Charlotte Eaton, Curator on concept and content, the space was laid out in the following manner:

"The Gun Foundry" :  Painting by John Ferguson Weir, rightfully claims a prime location on the inside wall.  This is the most popular artifact in the Museum.

      The Gallery entrance :  An angled wall with a brief history of the Foundry printed on it.  The was is actually part of the kiosk for a video monitor for the Society's award winning "Story of the West Point Foundry,"  produced by Hudson river Film & Video in 1997.  the video has 10 repeats so that visitors can comfortably view it at any time.

         The sequence of the gallery walls -  Presents the three main periods of the Foundry's activities:

The Early Period "The Formative Years"  (1818 - 1839) : Gouverneur Kemble and partners organize the new company, and with a branch in New York City produced, engines for locomotives, ships, and much more.
The Classic Period (1840 - 1877) :  Robert Parrott had been named Supervisor in 1836 and the production of heavy ordnance began.  The history of the Parrott rifled gun and its impact on the outcome of the Civil War is told here.
The Late Period (1878 - 1911) :  Reflects the beginning of the end of the Foundry, sold to Cornell in 1884, and finally closing its doors in 1911.

The End Wall:  Focal point for the more decorative aspects of the Foundry's production.  The Washington Irving bench is proudly displayed along with other decorative objects.  A shelved unit shows pattern forms and encloses a closet of shelves for the West Point Foundry Documents, photos, blueprints, et al.

Foundry tools and objects :  Meticulously arranged on panels and each item identified by a numbered diagram.

The Five Large Windows :  Covered with UV protection mesh shades that have the added amenity of allowing just enough light through to remind visitors that they are just above the magnificent Hudson River on a bluff overlooking the original West Point foundry site.  Its rich heritage of history is preserved and illuminated in a modern designed environment.