![North Star House, 1907](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/North_Star_House%2C_1907.jpg)
Arthur De Wint Foote (1849–1933) was an American civil engineer and mining engineer who impacted the development of the
American West
The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the Wes ...
with his innovative engineering works and entrepreneurial ventures. In
Northern California
Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...
in the late 1890s, he designed and built the
North Star Mine Powerhouse
The North Star Mine and Powerhouse are located on Lafayette Hill a short distance south of Grass Valley in the U.S. state of California. It was the second largest producer of gold during California's Gold Rush. In 1898, the largest Pelton wheel ...
, the highest capacity impulse-turbine power-plant of the time, and now a California historic landmark; within that plant he designed and installed the then-largest
Pelton wheel
The Pelton wheel or Pelton Turbine is an impulse-type water turbine invented by American inventor Lester Allan Pelton in the 1870s. The Pelton wheel extracts energy from the impulse of moving water, as opposed to water's dead weight like the trad ...
turbine. Later, he designed and built
Foote's Crossing, a high bridge, and
Foote's Crossing Road
Foote's Crossing Road (CA 613) originates in North Columbia, California and winds through the Tahoe National Forest to connect with the community of Alleghany, California. It is a Registered Historic Place.
The high bridge crossing at the Middl ...
, both now memorialized as California and U.S. landmarks.
Early years
Born in
Guilford, Connecticut
Guilford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and Durham, and is situated on I-95 and the Connecticut seacoast. The population was 22,073 at the 2020 census.
History
Guilfo ...
, Foote's ancestry was English—from
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
before 1630. After preparatory schooling as a youth, he attended
Yale College
Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...
's
Sheffield Scientific School
Sheffield Scientific School was founded in 1847 as a school of Yale College in New Haven, Connecticut, for instruction in science and engineering. Originally named the Yale Scientific School, it was renamed in 1861 in honor of Joseph E. Sheffield, ...
, but left in 1868 before graduating. From there he began his early career in business and construction ventures along the eastern seaboard of the US and in the West Indies basin.
Career
Immersing himself in learning the civil engineering practicum, with application in mining operations, young Arthur Foote became an exemplar of the
motto
A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...
"Go West, young man"; he aspired to making his career and fortune in the
'new' West, first in California.
In 1873, he landed in San Francisco, seeking work. In quick succession he worked on the
Sutro Tunnel site in
Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City is a census-designated place (CDP) that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, and the largest community in the county. The city is a part of the Reno– Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Virginia City developed as a boom ...
—where he assisted with installing the first industrial air compressor in a tunnel or mine in the U.S. West; then on the Eldorado Canal of the
American River
, name_etymology =
, image = American River CA.jpg
, image_size = 300
, image_caption = The American River at Folsom
, map = Americanrivermap.png
, map_size = 300
, map_caption ...
, which supplied water to new
hydraulic mines near
Placerville, California. Working for the
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials- SP) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the ...
in 1874, he assisted the chief engineer building the
Tehachapi Loop
The Tehachapi Loop is a long spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin V ...
, the celebrated climbing
railway spiral
A spiral (sometimes called a spiral loop or just loop) is a technique employed by railways to ascend steep hills.
A railway spiral rises on a steady curve until it has completed a loop, passing over itself as it gains height, allowing the railw ...
—and now a popular
railfan
A railfan, rail buff or train buff (American English), railway enthusiast, railway buff or trainspotter (Australian/British English), or ferroequinologist is a person who is recreationally interested in trains and rail transport systems.
Rail ...
site and
National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark
__NOTOC__
The following is a list of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks as designated by the American Society of Civil Engineers since it began the program in 1964. The designation is granted to projects, structures, and sites in the United State ...
.
In 1876, while posted at the
New Almaden
, settlement_type = Neighborhood of San Jose
, nickname =
, motto =
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, image_flag =
, image_seal =
, image_map =
, mapsize =
, map_caption =
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Quicksilver Mine in
Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County, officially the County of Santa Clara, is the sixth-most populous county in the U.S. state of California, with a population of 1,936,259, as of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Santa Clara County and neighboring Sa ...
, California, young Foote returned East to marry and to bring his bride,
Mary Hallock Foote, back to California. Soon he moved his family to
Deadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood (Lakota: ''Owáyasuta''; "To approve or confirm things") is a city that serves as county seat of Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. It was named by early settlers after the dead trees found in its gulch. The city had it ...
, where he helped supervise the
Homestake Mine Homestake Mine is the name for several mines in the United States:
* Homestake Mine (Nevada), listed in the National Register of Historic Places
* Homestake Mine (South Dakota)
The Homestake Mine was a deep underground gold mine (8,000 feet or 2, ...
; then to
Leadville, Colorado
The City of Leadville is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory city, statutory city that is the county seat, the most populous community, and the only List of municipalities in Colorado, incorporated municipality in Lake County, Colorad ...
, during the
Colorado Silver Boom
The Colorado Silver Boom was a dramatic expansionist period of silver mining activity in the U.S. state of Colorado in the late 19th century. The boom started in 1879 with the discovery of silver at Leadville. Over 82 million dollars worth of silv ...
. There he served as a (litigation) mining expert for the Iron Silver Mining Company. Later he supervised the Adelaide Mine and other small mines near Leadville.
Abandoning the high altitudes for health reasons, Foote journeyed to
Morelia
Morelia (; from 1545 to 1828 known as Valladolid) is a city and municipal seat of the municipality of Morelia in the north-central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital and larg ...
in
Michoacán
Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo (; Purépecha: ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of ...
, Mexico, to prospect a retired silver mine; then to
Wood River Valley
The Wood River Valley is a region in the western United States in south-central Idaho. Located in Blaine County, it is named after the Big Wood and Little Wood Rivers, which flow through the area.
The valley has four incorporated cities: B ...
in south-central Idaho—locale of today's
Sun Valley ski resort—to open the Wolftone Mine prospect. Later, he formed a partnership venture and bought water rights on the
Boise River
The Boise River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. , accessed May 3, 2011 tributary of the Snake River in the Northwestern United States. It drains a rugged portion of the Sawtooth Range in sou ...
where he designed the Boise River irrigation project, then developed it for ten years before it eventually failed for lack of capital. The project became known as the
New York Canal
The New York Canal is an irrigation canal in the Western United States, western United States, located in Southwestern Idaho, southwestern Idaho. Sourced from the Boise River, it originates at the Boise River Diversion Dam, Diversion Dam in ...
. (Ultimately it was completed by the
federal government
A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...
, i.e., the
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, as the
Arrowrock Dam
Arrowrock Dam is a concrete arch dam in the western United States, on the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, east of Boise. Opened in 1915, it is located on the border of Boise and Elmore counties, upstream of the Lucky Peak Dam and reservoir. ...
project (1915), then the largest arid-lands irrigation scheme in the United States.) Foote's Idaho home was built of
lava rock
Volcanic rock (often shortened to volcanics in scientific contexts) is a rock formed from lava erupted from a volcano. In other words, it differs from other igneous rock by being of volcanic origin. Like all rock types, the concept of volcanic r ...
and used his own cement formula; the site () is near the outlet of the
Lucky Peak Dam
Lucky Peak Dam is a rolled earth and gravel fill embankment dam in the western United States, located on the Boise River in southwestern Idaho. In Ada County east of Boise, it is directly downstream of Arrowrock Dam, a concrete arch dam com ...
After Boise, Foote served as a hydrologist for the newly created
U.S. Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and ...
, leading field surveys that documented the hydrology and hydraulics of reaches of the
Snake River
The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snake ...
and
Snake River Plain
image:Snake River view near Twin Falls, Idaho.jpg, The Snake River cutting through the plain leaves many canyons and Canyon#List of gorges, gorges, such as this one near Twin Falls, Idaho
The Snake River Plain is a geology, geologic feature ...
and valley. He returned briefly to Mexico to engineer roads in Baja California for an
onyx
Onyx primarily refers to the parallel banded variety of chalcedony, a silicate mineral. Agate and onyx are both varieties of layered chalcedony that differ only in the form of the bands: agate has curved bands and onyx has parallel bands. The c ...
mine; then 'made home' again to California to manage the Fremont Mine in
Amador City, just east of
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
.
Grass Valley, California
In 1895, Foote settled his family in
Grass Valley, California
Grass Valley is a city in Nevada County, California, United States. Situated at roughly in elevation in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, this northern Gold Country city is by car from Sacramento, from Sacramento I ...
—some west of
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe (; was, Dáʔaw, meaning "the lake") is a Fresh water, freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada of the United States. Lying at , it straddles the state line between California and Nevada, west of Carson City, Nevad ...
—where he was hired to design an electric-generating plant for the
North Star Mine
The North Star Mine and Powerhouse are located on Lafayette Hill a short distance south of Grass Valley in the U.S. state of California. It was the second largest producer of gold during California's Gold Rush. In 1898, the largest Pelton wheel ...
, the second largest gold producing mine in California. After studying the site he judged that electric power was neither safe nor dependable for operating the underground works there; instead he conceived a master plan for using air compressors to operate the mine—and using hydro-impulse turbines to power the compressors.
Now he envisioned a power plant housing an over-sized
Pelton water wheel—the recently invented hydro-powered impulse turbine. At in diameter, he designed and erected a drum wheel more than sixty per cent larger than the maximum recommended by the
Pelton Water Wheel Company in San Francisco. Upon completion, 'Foote's Pelton wheel' performed successfully as the world's largest operating impulse turbine wheel; it was in continuous use for over 30 years. In 1991, Foote's
North Star Mine Powerhouse
The North Star Mine and Powerhouse are located on Lafayette Hill a short distance south of Grass Valley in the U.S. state of California. It was the second largest producer of gold during California's Gold Rush. In 1898, the largest Pelton wheel ...
was designated an International Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark.
Foote advanced to superintendent and later to general manager of the North Star Mine. Then he and his wife commissioned the design of
North Star House by the architect
Julia Morgan
Julia Morgan (January 20, 1872 – February 2, 1957) was an American architect and engineer. She designed more than 700 buildings in California during a long and prolific career.Erica Reder"Julia Morgan was a local in ''The New Fillmore'', 1 Febr ...
. The grand residence was built in 1905 in Grass Valley. Also known as
Foote Mansion, the house is notable for its iconic
'western' elegance, and for its association with the careers of three singular 'westerners': the engineer-miner-entrepreneur Arthur Foote, his wife the author-illustrator
Mary Hallock Foote, and the master architect
Morgan. Later, the author
Wallace Stegner
Wallace Earle Stegner (February 18, 1909 – April 13, 1993) was an American novelist, short story writer, environmentalist, and historian, often called "The Dean of Western Writers". He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1972 and the U.S. National Book ...
made Foote Mansion the setting for his
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
-winning novel ''
Angle of Repose
The angle of repose, or critical angle of repose, of a granular material is the steepest angle of descent or dip relative to the horizontal plane to which a material can be piled without slumping. At this angle, the material on the slope fac ...
'' (1972), which closely referenced the lives of the Footes.
Members of the Foote family occupied the North Star House as home until 1968. The House is listed on national and state registers of historic places; and the landscape-site, including gardens and orchard, has been designated as a local historic landmark.
While at North Star Mine in 1911, Foote and several partners purchased the Tightner Mine in
Alleghany, California
Alleghany is a small census-designated place in Sierra County, California, Sierra County, California, United States in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada. It is situated in the Gold Country and continues to be a significant locale for gold min ...
. Now Foote designed and constructed a high bridge over the Middle Yuba River and a high grade mountain road connecting the two mines. Subsequently, the project — consisting of the
Foote's Crossing Road
Foote's Crossing Road (CA 613) originates in North Columbia, California and winds through the Tahoe National Forest to connect with the community of Alleghany, California. It is a Registered Historic Place.
The high bridge crossing at the Middl ...
and the
Foote's Crossing Road
Foote's Crossing Road (CA 613) originates in North Columbia, California and winds through the Tahoe National Forest to connect with the community of Alleghany, California. It is a Registered Historic Place.
The high bridge crossing at the Middl ...
high bridge — was memorialized as a
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
landmark and as a
California Point of Historical Interest
California Points of Historical Interest are sites, buildings, features, or events that are of local (city or county) significance and have anthropological, cultural, military, political, architectural, economic, scientific or technical, religious, ...
(No. P401).
![Mary-Hallock-Foote](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Mary-Hallock-Foote.png)
Arthur and Mary Foote served ambassadorial roles of representing the
'new' West and the lifestyles to be had there. They frequently received dignitaries and celebrities touring the West and hosted them for extended stays at North Star House; they hosted community and civic events there. He contributed technical papers to professional societies and published scholarly articles addressing public issues, especially re developing the West. He advocated high standards of literacy, both professional and personal, for engineers.
Personal life and controversy
In 1876, Foote married the illustrator and writer
Mary Hallock Foote (1847–1938) in her hometown of
Milton, Ulster County, New York
Milton is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 1,650 at the 2020 census. The locale was named after John Milton, an English poet.
The community of Milton is located in the northea ...
. Their marriage produced a son, who followed closely after his father's career footsteps, and two daughters, Betty and Agnes
Arthur Foote's biography was written by his wife within her memoirs—which were collected by
Rodman Paul and published in 1972 as ''
A Victorian Gentlewoman in the Far West''. Mary Hallock Foote, in her own right, was an important literary and pioneer figure in the history of the
old West
The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...
.
In creating his
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
-winning novel ''
Angle of Repose
The angle of repose, or critical angle of repose, of a granular material is the steepest angle of descent or dip relative to the horizontal plane to which a material can be piled without slumping. At this angle, the material on the slope fac ...
''(1972), the twentieth century novelist
Wallace Stegner
Wallace Earle Stegner (February 18, 1909 – April 13, 1993) was an American novelist, short story writer, environmentalist, and historian, often called "The Dean of Western Writers". He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1972 and the U.S. National Book ...
appropriated—with permission—portions of Arthur and Mary Foote's life stories from her memoirs (noted above).
Stegner used passages taken directly from Mary Foote's actual letters and recast them as fictionalized correspondence of the novel's main character; his choices resulted in controversy within the literary community that continues today.
Partial bibliography
*
*
*
*
References including related reading
*
*
* ''Conversations with Wallace Stegner on Western History and Literature'',
Wallace Stegner
Wallace Earle Stegner (February 18, 1909 – April 13, 1993) was an American novelist, short story writer, environmentalist, and historian, often called "The Dean of Western Writers". He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1972 and the U.S. National Book ...
and Richard Etulain, University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, 1983
Introductory turbine math
External links
The North Star Mine and Powerhouse & Pelton Wheel Museum official websiteNorth Star Historic ConservancyThe North Star House, the Julia Morgan-designed home of Mary Hallock and Arthur DeWint Foote
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foote, Arthur De Wint
1849 births
1933 deaths
People from Guilford, Connecticut
American civil engineers
American mining engineers
People from Grass Valley, California
Engineers from Connecticut
American expatriates in Mexico
Engineers from California