Archivists at the York County Heritage Trust have uncovered a treasure trove of records from the 1.25 MW Smith-Putnam turbine of the early 1940s. The museum archives records of the S. Morgan Smith Company, a manufacturer of hydroelectric turbines in York, Pennsylvania. The turbine, the largest wind turbine ever built until the late 1970s, was designed by Palmer Putnam with York’s S. Morgan Smith Company managing assembly and construction.
The records uncovered include photos and log books. The log books begin with initial operation and end with a final notation, “reason for not running: lost blade.
For more information on the find, contact Dennis Kunkle, the Museum’s Director of Facilities.
Additional photos are in the possession of Paul Gipe. See Smith-Putnam Industrial Photos.
