History Hike: The West Point Foundry

Established in 1818 by Gouverneur Kemble and others, the West Point Foundry became a major industrial site in the United States and manufactured iron products. Its most famous production was the Parrott cannon. It was designed by Robert Parker Parrott and was a dramatic improvement in the Union Army’s weapons technology during the Civil War. The remains of this incredible industrial plant have worn down over the years, but they still tell an amazing story of what was once the center of America’s Industrial Revolution. Join Putnam History Museum Staff on a guided tour and learn about the history of this incredible site, now preserved as Scenic Hudson’s West Point Foundry Preserve, a National Historic Landmark.