Francis Turbine

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, November 3, 2009

1. Francis Turbine Marker

Inscription.
This Francis Type Turbine was used on the Tredegar site in the early twentieth century and is very similar to one of the five turbines located near the building to your left. It was built by the S. Morgan Smith Company of York, Pennsylvania. By turning the wheel attached to the gears, the cylinder gate (the part with the fin-like openings) moves in and out, controlling the amount of water passing into the turbine, thus controlling the power. The water pushes the buckets of the runner, turning the power shaft.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce.

Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 37° 32.123′ N, 77° 26.761′ W. Marker was in Richmond, Virginia. It was in Gambles Hill. It could be reached from Tredegar Street 0.1 miles west of South 5th Street. This marker is located outside the Civil War Visitor Center at Tredegar Iron Works. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 470 Tredegar Street, Richmond VA 23219, United States of America.

We have been informed that this marker is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.

Regionally, this marker was in Central Virginia.

It was also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it was in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. within walking distance of this location: Touch for a list and map of all markers in Richmond.

Other markers

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

no longer nearby. Adapting Power (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed); Early Industrial Patterns (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed); The Bulldozer Press (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed); Historic Tredegar (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed); President Lincoln Visits Richmond (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Tredegar in 1951 (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Raceways (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named President Lincoln Visits Richmond (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing); Toledo 1000-ton Press (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Belle Isle and Old Dominion Iron and Nail Works (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Overshot Waterwheel (was within shouting distance of this marker but has

Francis Turbine image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, November 3, 2009

2. Francis Turbine

been reported to have been replaced with another marker now near it); Civil War Visitor Center (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named Overshot Waterwheel (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Gateway to the Civil War (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); The Cupola Furnace and Foundry (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Southern Firepower (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed).

More about this marker. On the left is an illustration of turbine components carrying the caption, "Several other turbines of this type were used by the Tredegar Iron works, including another S. Morgan Smith turbine in the raceway next to the Pattern Building."

On the lower right is a photograph of a turbine with the caption, "Shown here are a Runner (right) and a Cylinder Gate (left) from a typical Francis–type turbine designed by John McCormick."

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, November 8, 2009

3. Francis Turbine

Turbine casing image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, November 8, 2009

4. Turbine casing

Close up of the Francis Turbine image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, March 21, 2010

5. Close up of the Francis Turbine

Francis Turbine Display image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, November 3, 2009

6. Francis Turbine Display

Credits. This page was last revised on January 20, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 12, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,609 times since then and 33 times this year. Last updated on January 19, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 12, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 5. submitted on August 20, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 6. submitted on November 12, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.