• Raymond, Madera County, California – the Raymond Museum & the nearby Sierra White Granite Quarries – “Raymond Museum and Historic Town Site” (photographs and history) The following information is from the National Geographic Society web site. You can see more photos of the saw from the Bates' quarry in the "Raymond Museum - Photograhic Tour, Raymond, California" section of our web site.

  This article entitled, “Raymond Museum and Historic Town Site,” by Lynn Northrop, describes the Raymond Museum and the nearby points of interest. About the local granite quarries, it states: “…The Raymond/Knowles granite quarries also used the rail to transport their famous Sierra White granite to San Francisco and all over the United States. The quarry is still producing superior granite today and is open for visitors….”

  • Knowles, Madera County, California – Hill’s Pride Inn – “Raymond Museum and Historic Town Site” (photograph and history), presented by the National Geographic Society.

    Following is an excerpt from the article entitled: “Hill’s Pride Inn,” by Lynn Northrop: “(The) wood bar (was) built in 1915 by the Terragno family in Knowles, CA. Stone cutters and quarry workers were the main clients when it opened. The Raymond/Knowles quarry, right down the road from Hill’s Pride employed thousands of granite workers over the years. Many of San Francisco’s premiere buildings are made of the ‘Sierra White’ granite mined here in Knowles….The granite quarry is still in operation and some of the original granite buildings from the early 1900s can be viewed on a scenic drive from Hill’s Pride Inn. The owner, Robert Casaurang, is an avid local history expert and can answer questions and give suggestions for exploring Knowles and Raymond.”

• Raymond, Madera County, California – Knowles & Hosmer Quarry (Granite) – Excerpt from the Tenth Annual Report of The State Mineralogist For The Year Ending December 1, 1890, California State Mining Bureau, Sacramento: State Printing Office, 1890, pp. 189.

  Granite For Building Purposes (in Madera County).

  “Granite for building purposes is extensively quarried at and around the town of Raymond, in T. 8 S., R. 19 E. There are several quarries in operation. The principal of which are as follows:

  “The Knowles & Hosmer Quarry, covering E. ½, the N.W. ¼, and the N.E. ¼, S.W. ¼ of Sec. 23, where thirty men are employed. During my visit, I saw a cube, laden on the cars for shipment to San Francisco, which was said to weigh fifteen tons.”

• Raymond, Madera County, California – Pacific Stone Company’s Quarry (Granite) – Excerpt from the Tenth Annual Report of The State Mineralogist For The Year Ending December 1, 1890, California State Mining Bureau, Sacramento: State Printing Office, 1890, pp. 189.

  Granite For Building Purposes (in Madera County).

  “Granite for building purposes is extensively quarried at and around the town of Raymond, in T. 8 S., R. 19 E. There are several quarries in operation. The principal of which are as follows:

  “The Pacific Stone Company’s quarry, covering the S. ½, N.E. ¼, and the S. ½, N.W. ¼ of Sec. 26, where eleven men are employed.

• Raymond (near), Madera County, California – Raymond Granite Quarry owned by Cold Spring Granite of Minnesota (present-day company)
  • Color sample of Sierra White Granite quarried at the Raymond Granite Quarry
• Raymond, Madera County, California - Raymond Granite Quarries - Excerpt from the Tenth Annual Report of The State Mineralogist For The Year Ending December 1, 1890, California State Mining Bureau, Sacramento: State Printing Office, 1890, pp. 189.

  Granite For Building Purposes (in Madera County).

  “Granite for building purposes is extensively quarried at and around the town of Raymond, in T. 8 S., R. 19 E. There are several quarries in operation. The principal of which are as follows:

  “The Pacific Stone Company’s quarry, covering the S. ½, N.E. ¼, and the S. ½, N.W. ¼ of Sec. 26, where eleven men are employed.

  “The Knowles & Hosmer Quarry, covering E. ½, the N.W. ¼, and the N.E. ¼, S.W. ¼ of Sec. 23, where thirty men are employed. During my visit, I saw a cube, laden on the cars for shipment to San Francisco, which was said to weigh fifteen tons.”

• Raymond, Madera County, California – “Our Stone Crop,” Vol. 49, No. 25, June 22, 1895, Pacific Rural Press, pp. 385.

“Raymond Granite Quarry, Madera County, Cal.” From “Our Stone Crop,” Vol. 49, No. 25, June 22, 1895, Pacific Rural Press, pp. 385.

• Raymond (near), Madera County, California – the Raymond Granite Quarries (Granite) (Excerpt from Report XIV of the State Mineralogist - Mines and Mineral Resources of Portions of California, Chapters of State Mineralogist's Report - Biennial Period 1913-1914, Part IV. "The Counties of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus," by R. P. McLaughlin and Walter W. Bradley, Field Assistants (field work in July, 1913, and July, 1914), California State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1916, pp. 427-634.)

  "The well known 'Raymond' granite quarries near Raymond, in Madera County, not only are and have been for a number of years the most important mineral industry of the county, but they are also an important factor in the state's production. As has already been noted… these deposits of workable building stone are located in the western edge of the Sierra foothills. There are two quarries about 1 mile apart (circa 1914), on the east side of a small valley, about 2 miles east of Raymond, which is the terminus of the Berenda-Raymond branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Both quarries are served by spur tracks from this branch line. It is now recognized that this stone is not excelled by any other building granite found either in this state or elsewhere. It is noted for its beautiful white color, the fineness and uniformity of its texture, its weathering qualities, and its freeness in working. As to this last named feature, it lends itself readily to all classes of fine structural carving."

• Raymond, Madera County, California - Raymond Granite Company - Historical File in Microform (published between 1954-1987? - listed on WorldCat, but location is not noted)
• Raymond (15-16 miles from), Madera County, California – Chowchilla Marble Deposit (Marble) (Excerpt from "Limestone in California," by Clarence A. Logan, California Journal of Mines and Geology, Vol. 43, No. 3, July 1947, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, pp. 175-357. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

  "Chowchilla marble deposit is 3 miles from Grub Gulch on Chowchilla River, probably in the northwest corner of T. 7 S., R. 20 E., M.D. It has been known for many years and has not been developed. It is 15 or 16 miles by road from Raymond; but the nearest railroad point now is Daulton about 8 mile south of Raymond."

• Raymond, Madera County, California – the Day Granite Quarry owned by J. G. and I. N. Day. (No exact location given) (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

  Day Granite Quarry, located in Raymond, (official owner) J. G. & I. N. Day.

• Raymond (2 miles southeast of), Madera County, California – the Hall Quarry (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

  "The Hall Quarry, located about 2 miles north of the McClellan quarry, near the Raymond-Berenda Railway, was opened a number of years ago, and furnished stone for a San Francisco contract, but was then abandoned and has not been operated for ten years or more."

• Raymond, Madera County, California  –  Knowles Quarry - Raymond Granite Company Quarry photographs. These photographs are presented on the Madera County USGenWeb Project web site, Ken Doig, Madera County Coordinator.
• Raymond/Knowles, Madera County, California – Raymond Granite Co. Inc. Quarries, Knowles, Calif.  “Home of Original Raymond Granite”  (postcard photograph, No. Q8; early-1900s; unmailed)  Below is a transcription of what the original owner of the postcard wrote on the back.  (The postcard is not signed.)

  Raymond Granite Co., Inc. Quarries, Knowles, Calif. (postcard photograph; unmailed, early 1900s)

  “General view of the village of Knowles.  Quarry on hill in distance.  Store at end of railroad.  At one time 350 men employed.  52 family dwellings.  A school & Social Hall in upper village.  Not seen from this standpoint.  Quarry itself covered 80 acres – 1700 acres in all, comprised the town.  Also Post Office.”

• Raymond, Madera County, California - Raymond Granite Co., Inc. Quarries, in Knowles, California - Home of Original Raymond Granite

  (postcard photograph; unmailed, early 1900s)

• Raymond/Knowles, Madera County, California – Raymond Granite Co. Inc. Quarries, Knowles, Calif.  “Home of Original Raymond Granite”  (postcard photograph, No. Q9; early-1900s; unmailed)  Below is a transcription of what the original owner of the postcard wrote on the back.  (The postcard is not signed.)

  Raymond Granite Co., Inc. Quarries, Knowles, Calif. (postcard photograph; unmailed, early 1900s)

  “Another view showing my husband (x) and my brother (ü) Erwin standing beside a large block just loosened from its many years of formation, solid mountain.”
• Raymond (Knowles), Madera County, California – Raymond Granite Co., Inc. Quarries, Knowles, California

  (panoramic postcard photograph; early 1900s; unmailed)

• Raymond, Madera County, California - View of Knowles Quarry (from a distance)

  The following is written on the back of the postcard, which is addressed to Mr. Duncan Ritchie, Jr., 5 th Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen, Scotland:

  “I don’t know if I sent you a view of the city before or not. This is the Knowles part of the town. That little red-roofed building in the very centre of the card and nearly hid by the trees is the post-office. The large one in front is the Knowles company store. ? Ritchie.”

  (color postcard photograph; published excl. for John Baertsch, Raymond, Cal. by Newman Post Card Co., Los Angeles, made in Germany; no postmark or date, early 1900s ? This card was mailed to someone in Aberdeen, Scotland.)

• Raymond (near) at Knowles, Madera County, California – “Works and Quarries at Knowles, Madera County, Cal.”  (colorized postcard photograph; Published for C.F. Preciado Co., Madera, Cal. By M. Reider, Los Angeles, No. 7267.  Made in Germany; early 1900s; unmailed)

  “Works and Quarries at Knowles, Madera County, Cal.” (postcard photograph, No. 7267)

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