The Foundry

1854 - The Everett Foundry: A Legacy of Craftsmanship and Community
Established 1854 — Rebuilt 1874
The Everett Foundry stands as one of the town’s earliest and most enduring symbols of industry. Founded in 1854 and first constructed in 1855 by Josiah and Meremisk Baughman, the original wooden structure quickly became a hub of local manufacturing. In its early years, the Foundry produced the Bloody Run bell, the Bloody Run plow, stoves, and a variety of other iron goods that served the growing community.
Tragedy struck in 1873, when fire consumed the original building. Within a year, a new brick structure rose on the same site under the direction of Frederick Felton. The bricks were made locally along the riverbank in Everett, and the building’s seven massive timber trusses—each cut from a single piece of wood measuring 8" × 10" × 55"—attested to the skill of its builders. Sixteen large casement windows, each 4' × 7' and cast on-site, filled the interior with light.
A brick addition at the front housed Everett’s fire equipment, and the horses were shod there. Above it stood a bell tower, whose bell once summoned volunteer firemen to duty. Though the tower was later removed during renovation, its memory remains part of Everett’s civic heritage.
In 1889, the Foundry was sold to Messrs. Robb and Whisel, who continued operations until James Pettigrew purchased it in 1901. Pettigrew’s tenure brought innovation—the Everett Plow, his own invention, became one of the Foundry’s specialties.
Around 1920, John Lucas acquired the property and later passed it to his son‑in‑law Jesse Cline, who transformed it into an electric welding and machine shop. Cline operated the business until his death in 1973, closing a century‑long chapter of craftsmanship and community service.
From its earliest days, the Everett Foundry embodied the industrious spirit of Bloody Run—where local ingenuity shaped iron, wood, and brick into the tools and symbols of a thriving town.

BRHS