Klepetko Chapter, Society for Industrial Archaeology records, 1985-2010

The Society for Industrial Archaeology was founded in October of 1971 in order to "bring together [those] who share a common interest in the archaeology of industry, engineering and technology." SIA's North American headquarters are at the Department of Social Sciences at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan. Montana's SIA chapter is named after Frank Klepetko, metallurgist and designer of Montana's two largest smelters - the Washoe Reduction Works in Anaconda, and the Boston and Montana Smelter in Great Falls. The Klepetko Chapter was established on February 22nd, 1986; it was the first SIA chapter west of the Mississippi. Among the officers elected at this inaugural meeting were President Mark Fiege, Vice President Fred Quivik, Secretary/Treasurer Dale Martin, Program Coordinator Mary McCormick, and Newsletter Editor Arthur Dolman. Since its inception, the Klepetko Chapter has had a consistent membership of around 50, produces a semi-annual newsletter, and visits historically significant industrial sites around the state at least once a year. Both the national organization and the state chapter also offer process tours of operating industrial facilities like sawmills, hydroelectric plants, gold mines and mills, oil refineries, and sugar beet processing plants. The Montana Chapter is dedicated to documenting, preserving, and interpreting historical industrial sites and artifacts.