Watervliet in Albany County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Meneely Foundry

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, April 23, 2008

1. Meneely Foundry Marker

Inscription. Meneely Foundry
1826 - 1950 First Chime &
Carillon in U.S. Cast Here
Foremost Bell Maker
Patented Rotary Yoke And
Casting Procedures.

Erected by Watervliet Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1826.

Location. 42° 43.591′ N, 73° 42.011′ W. Marker is in Watervliet, New York, in Albany County. Marker is on Broadway, on the right when traveling south. The marker is beside the CDTA bus stop, just north of the Watervliet Public Library. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Watervliet NY 12189, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Meneely Bell Foundry (here, next to this marker); Civil War Parrott Rifle (within shouting distance of this marker); City of Watervliet (within shouting distance of this marker); Saint Patrick's Church Bell (within shouting distance of this marker); North Dutch Reformed Church Bell (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct

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line); The Nalle Rescue (about 500 feet away); In Memory of Those Who Served (about 600 feet away); U.S. Army 3 Inch M5 Antitank Gun (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Watervliet.

Regarding Meneely Foundry. After the prosperity brought on by the Erie Canal changed West Troy ( now Watervliet) from a rural area into a bustling community with in two decades of its 1825 opening, Andrew Meneely, a native of Scotland, had come to the United States in early 1800's and immediately got a job in the Julius Hanks foundry in Troy. He married Hanks' cousin and convinced Hanks to build a bell foundry in West Troy which in now Watervliet. The plant opened in 1829 and within a decade the West Troy foundry was shipping carillons and bells throughout the country, and even overseas. By the end of the Civil War, the Meneely Bell Co. had earned world renown for its bells. In the course of the Meneely Bell’s 144 year history, its foundry manufactured over 70,000 bells.

After the death of Andrew Meneely

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, April 22, 2008

2. Meneely Foundry Marker

The pedestrians are walking beside Broadway in Watervliet. The yellow school buses in the background are northbound on Interstate 787.

in 1851, his sons Edward and George took over the operations and they continued to manufacture bells at a dizzy pace. By the early 1900's Meneely Bells rang in Scotland, France, England, Germany, Australia, India and South America. World War II proved fateful to the Meneely Bell Co., as copper and tin became unusable for non-war operations. Before Meneely could reopen, the Korean War came along to continue a restriction on bell materials.

The foundry's demise became inevitable and in 1954 The Meneely Bell Foundry closed. In 1974 the Watervliet Historical Society tried to save the foundry building that had been idle for 20 years, but the city's urban renewal plans were already complete and the effort failed. In 1975 the building was torn down to make room for downtown development.

The Mayor J. Leo O'Brien Municipal Center which houses the Watervliet Library and the Senior Center is on the site of the former Meneely Bell Foundry.

Also see . . . Index to carillons and chimes by Meneely (Watervliet). Also some historical notes. (Submitted on September 5, 2020, by Carl Scott Zimmerman of Kirkwood, Missouri.)

Additional commentary.

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, October 3, 2008

3. Meneely Foundry Marker

The marker is between the colorful maple tree and the bus stop shelter.