Structures and Monuments in Which
California Stone was Used

Finished Product from California Stone in California (Continued)

• Naples, Santa Barbara County, California - a Church in Naples (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

  The church at Naples (built prior to 1906) was built with sandstone from the sandstone boulder quarry owned by A. R. Angulo, which was located "...on the summit of the Santa Ynez Mountains, at the head of Refugio Canyon, 8 miles by wagon road from Orella, a station on the Southern Pacific Railroad." (The specific name of the church is not stated.)

• Nevada City, Nevada County, California - the Old Granite Brewery (From Geologic Guidebook Along Highway 49 - Sierran Gold Belt: The Mother Lode Country, Bulletin 141, Olaf P. Jenkins, Chief, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, 1949. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

  "The largest stone building (in Nevada City circa 1948) is the old brewery (Fig. 158), now a café, built of quarried undressed granite. In the wall facing the alley may be seen the distinctive trait of leaving the brick chimney flush with the outer face of the main wall. The common stone in this area is granite, and one will see numerous retaining walls along the sloping streets of this material."

  Fig. 158. Stone brewery, Sacramento St., Nevada City, DMBS Nev.-H6.

• Nevada County, California - Stone Buildings (From Geologic Guidebook Along Highway 49 - Sierran Gold Belt: The Mother Lode Country, Bulletin 141, Olaf P. Jenkins, Chief, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, 1949. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

  "Ten Miles north of Auburn at the road junction leading to Wolf stands a well constructed chimney (Fig. 153), the remnant of a large house. It is made of laminated chert set in mud-lime mortar and the fireplace is lined with fired brick.

  "One and a half miles farther on and to the left in the edge of the flat, stands another chimney constructed of rough serpentine chunks.

  "Elsewhere to the south the buildings originally erected with these chimneys would have been of stone, but Nevada County, with its timber and early sawmills, turned to frame construction, a cultural feature which is responsible for the scarcity of stone buildings in the Northern Diggins."

  Fig. 153. Stone chimney on Auburn-Grass Valley road, DMBS Nev-H1.

• Newcastle, Placer County, California – the Curved Arches for Subway under the Railroad  (The following information is from “Projects Utilizing Rocklin Granite,” compiled by members of the Rocklin Historical Society from various sources, 2011.)

  “Granite for curved arches for subway under railroad.  Newcastle”

• Niles (between Niles and Decoto), Alameda County, California - the Masonic Home Foundation (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

  Sandstone from the Farwell Sandstone Quarry, which was located in Rocky Brook Cañon, a tributary of Niles Cañon, was used for the foundation of the Masonic Home, between Niles and Decoto.

• North San Juan (just above), Sierra County, California - Remains of the Freeman Toll Bridge (From Geologic Guidebook Along Highway 49 - Sierran Gold Belt: The Mother Lode Country, Bulletin 141, Olaf P. Jenkins, Chief, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, 1949. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

  "Just above North San Juan near where Highway 49 crosses the Middle Fork of the Yuba River can be seen the remains of the Freeman Toll Bridge. On each side of the river still stand the huge quarried granite abutments. On the north bank is a fine old building built of well dressed granite blocks, and in the general vicinity a number of well made dry rock granite boulder fences made by Chinese in the 'sixties."

• Northern California, California – Riprap for Levees & Railroad Culverts of Rocklin Granite in Northern California  (The following information is from “Projects Utilizing Rocklin Granite,” compiled by members of the Rocklin Historical Society from various sources, 2011.)

  “1864-67  Riprap for Northern California levees.  Granite for railroad culverts.  State Capitol.”

• Oakland, Alameda County, California – Alameda County Court House  (from “The McGilvray Family History,” by Basin Research Associates, Inc., August, 1989.  Used with the permission and courtesy of Basin Research Associates, Inc., San Leandro (www.basinresearch.com) and the City of San Francisco Planning Department)

The McGilvray-Raymond Granite Company provided the granite for the construction of the Alameda County Court House, according to “The McGilvray Family History.”

• Oakland, Alameda County, California – Buildings in Oakland  (The following information is from “Projects Utilizing Rocklin Granite,” compiled by members of the Rocklin Historical Society from various sources, 2011.)

“1906  Buildings at Tonopah, Nevada; Oakland, San Jose, Fresno”

• Oakland, Alameda County, California – the LDS Temple – Exterior (photographs and history) The following information is from the “Oakland California Temple” section of the Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints web site.

  According to this web site, the exterior finish is “Reinforced concrete faced with Sierra white granite from Raymond, California.”

  • More photographs and information about the LDS Temple in Oakland is available in the “Oakland California Temple” on Wikipedia.

• Oakland, Alameda County, California – Mountain View Cemetery – the Bronze Elk in the “Elks’ Rest” section of the Cemetery (from  “A Big Elk in Bronze,” San Francisco Call, Vol. 79, No. 81, February 19, 1896, pp. 16) 

  A Big Elk in Bronze
  An Oakland Monument Modeled After the Animal in the Park.
  Made by Whyte & De Rome and to Be Mounted in Mountain View Cemetery.

  “The only bronze elk modeled from life in California has just been finished by Messrs. Whyte & De Rome at their brass foundry on Main street.

  “It was made at the order of Oakland Lodge No. 171 of Elks, and is to be used as a monument in their burial plat in Mountain View Cemetery.  The statuary is one of the handsomest of its kind ever cast, and differs widely in appearance and finish from the combination white metal monstrosities sent out here from the East.

  “Frank Happersberger, the sculptor, took for his model the father elk at Golden Gate Park.  This famous antlered animal is called the father elk, because of his having been the first elk transferred from his native wilds to that edenic garden called Golden Gate Park.  The model was made four years ago, and ‘father elk’ is a little larger now and more dignified, as becomes his age, but the likeness between the living animal and his bronze replica is striking.

  “It was first intended to mount the elk on a pedestal of the Lick memorial statuary, but it was decided to substitute something emblematic of the State’s developing commercial and agricultural industries.  The sculptor’s model was therefore laid aside until a few months ago when E. H. Benjamin of the Oakland Lodge of Elks called on the sculptor and ordered the cast made.

  “Mr. Benjamin had charge of the mining exhibit at the Midwinter Fair.  When the fair closed he was given the marble and onyx pedestal on which the principal portion of the exhibit rested.  The base of Inyo marble with an onyx coping.  He in turn presented it to the Oakland Lodge of Elks on condition that it be placed in the burial plat called ‘Elks’ Rest’ in the Mountain View Cemetery.

  “The makers of the statuary declined to tell the cost of the work, but informed the reporter that under ordinary circumstances it would require $2000 or $2500 to produce a similar casting in bronze.  It probably cost less, because the model was already made.”

• Oakland, Alameda County, California – the Oakland Auditorium  (The following information is from “Projects Utilizing Rocklin Granite,” compiled by members of the Rocklin Historical Society from various sources, 2011.)

  “1915  Oakland Auditorium”

• Oakland, Alameda County, California – Oakland City Hall  (from “The McGilvray Family History,” by Basin Research Associates, Inc., August, 1989.  Used with the permission and courtesy of Basin Research Associates, Inc., San Leandro (www.basinresearch.com) and the City of San Francisco Planning Department)

The McGilvray-Raymond Granite Company provided the granite for the construction of the Oakland City Hall, according to “The McGilvray Family History.”

• Owensville, Inyo County, California – the Owensville Monument of Dolomite quarried near Lone Pine, Inyo County. Owensville was once located west of the town of Laws, and was also known as Glen Mary. To see more photographs of the monument click on The Owensville Monument and Towards Yosemite.

Owensville Monument – dedicated June 11, 1977, Slim Princess Chapter, E Clampus Vitus	Owensville Monument Plaque	Closeup of the dolomite stone used for the Owensville Monument. The dolomite was quarried near Lone Pine in Inyo County

• Pala, San Diego County, California – the Cupa Cultural Center – Examples of Uses of Local Stone in the Cupa Cultural Center Collection 

  The photographs of below and in the “Cupa Cultural Center – Use of Local Stones” section of our web site were taken inside of the cultural center in May 2012.  The photos show uses of local stone as mortars and pestles, arrow heads, etc.  Other uses of stone were fences.

  Stone implements in the Cupa Cultural Center collection		Replica of the Pala Mission Bell Tower of tourmaline and lepidolite stones, by Randolph Trujillo of Pala

• Pala, San Diego County, California – San Antonio de Pala Asistencia, today known as Mission San Antonio de Pala or Pala Mission – Uses of Local Stone

  When stone was available, it was used for construction at the 21 California Spanish missions for foundations, walls, lintels, walkways, fountain and statue bases, ditches, aqueducts, etc.  You will find more photographs of the Pala Mission in the “San Antonio de Pala Asistencia/Mission San Antonio de Pala” Photo Tour on our web site. Also, historical information and photographs of California’s Spanish missions are available in the “The Mission Period (1769–1833) and the Spanish, Mexicans, and Indians in California (expanded version)” section of our web site. 

  According to the Wikipedia article, the “San Antonio de Pala Asistencia,” or the ‘Pala Mission,’ was founded on June 13, 1816 as an asistencia (‘sub-mission’) to Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, some twenty miles inland upstream from the mission on the San Luis Rey River.”  (The photographs below were taken in May 2012 by Peggy B. Perazzo)

  Bell Tower at the Pala Mission with stone base	Stone-edged walkway, and what appears to be a stone planter	Cemetery monument in the Pala Mission Cemetery of both light and dark granite

• Pala, San Diego County, California –San Antonio de Pala Asistencia, today known as Mission San Antonio de Pala or Pala Mission (circa 1899)

  You can read more about and view sketches of the California missions circa 1899 in The Missions of California, by Eugene Leslie Smyth, Chicago: Alexander Belford & Co., 1899 (pdf).

  	Two sketches of Mission San Antonio de Pala circa 1899

• Palo Alto, Santa Clara & San Mateo Counties, California – Stanford University Building
  • Stanford University – Geology Building

    Stanford Geology Building (stereoview photograph; early 1900s)

  • Stanford University - Memorial Arch and Church (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    Buff-colored sandstone taken from the Graystone Sandstone Quarries, located at Graystone station, 9 miles south of San Jose, was used in the construction of the Memorial Arch and Church at Stanford University.

    Ill. No. 65. Memorial Arch, with church in background, Stanford University, showing types of carved work with the sandstone.

  • Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California – Stanford University Museum – the Grand Stairway & Interior Work – “California Marble” (pdf), in Stone Magazine, Vol. VIII, No. 3,  February 1894, pp. 254-257.

    “Situated about six miles from Jackson, county seat of this county, is vast deposits of True marble and what is perhaps the finest material (of the marble family) yet discovered in the United States...”

    “...This marble is variegated in color, one a gray black vein and the other a pure white with jet black veins.  The markings of the variety is similar to some of the Italian marble and is far more beautiful from the fact of the black veins standing out in bold view...The most prominent piece of work done in this material was the interior work and grand stairway of the Stanford University Museum, and is really a magnificent piece of marble work....”

    “The California Architect and Building News.”

    • Stanford University - Museum Building Rotunda (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

      Marble from the Carrara Marble Quarry in Amador County, California, was used in the rotunda of the museum building.

  • Stanford University - Quadrangle Buildings (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    Buff-colored sandstone taken from the Graystone Sandstone Quarries, located at Graystone station, 9 miles south of San Jose, was used in the construction of the quadrangle buildings at Stanford University.

    Ill. No. 66. General view of quadrangle buildings, Stanford University, constructed of sandstone from Graystone Quarries.

    Ill. No. 48. View of arches of inner quadrangle, Stanford University. Built of sandstone from Goodrich Quarries, Santa Clara County.

  • Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California - University Buildings - Colorized Postcard Photograph Series by Stanley A. Piltz Company, San Francisco, Calif., “Pictorial Wonderland” Art-Tone Series, circa early 1900s.

    Library, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, 433. “Stanford students have access to libraries containing about 740,000 volumes. Aside from the Central Library there are six other important special libraries for Medicine, Education, Geology, etc.”

    Memorial Church, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, 426. “Memorial Church, Stanford University, is considered one of the most beautiful churches in America. The extensive use of art mosaics for mural decorations combine to make it a structure more than unique in character, worthy of visiting and well remembered.”

    Memorial Church through Arcade, Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif., 425. “Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif. Stanford Memorial Chapel – located on the Campus of Stanford University, is considered one of the most beautiful churches in America. The extensive use of art mosaics for mural decorations combine to make it a structure more than unique in character, worthy of visiting and well remembered.”

    Interior, Memorial Church, Stanford, University, Palo Alto, California, 428. “Memorial Church, Stanford University, built as a memory by Mrs. Stanford to her husband, Leland Stanford, is one of the most beautiful churches in America. The extensive use of art mosaics for mural decorations, beautiful stained glass windows and works of art throughout make it a structure more than unique in character, worthy of visiting and well remembered. Only non-sectarian services are held. Dedicated in January, 1903.”

    The Stanford Union, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, 432. “This attractive garden spot and building, centrally located on the Stanford Campus, is a residence for women.”

    Laurence Frost Memorial Amphitheatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, 431. “Each Sunday afternoon under the direction of the University Chaplain, outdoor Vesper Services are held at this beautiful spot.”

    Home of Former President Herbert Hoover, on the Stanford University Campus, Palo Alto, Calif., 427. “Former President Hoover’s Home on the Stanford University Campus at Palo Alto in the Santa Clara Valley, California. This home atop San Juan Hill is a mecca for thousands of tourists annually.”

    The Stadium, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, 430. “Situated on Stanford University Campus, amid attractive and quiet surroundings, Stanford Stadium, the nation’s second largest, will accommodate 100,000 people.”

  • The Stanford Mausoleum (photographs and history) The following photo captions are from Going Out in Style: The Architecture of Eternity, by Douglas Keister, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 1997, pp. 6-7.

    Included in this portion of the book:

    “Fay Cutler, Granite Mover, Barre, Vermont.” This section is about “…Fay Cutler’s job to move two 50-ton slabs of granite…down the hill from the quarry at Graniteville to the stone sheds in Barre….” (Photographs are included )

    A photograph of the Mausoleum is included noting it was a 3000-mile journey for the granite from Barre, Vermont to Palo Alto, California.

    “Italian Stone Carvers, Barre, Vermont” This section is about the Scottish and Italian immigrant stone carvers who worked in Barre, Vermont. 1880 to 1920 marked the “heyday of mausoleum construction,” according to the author. (A photograph of workers standing near carved column capitals is included with this section.)

  • Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California - Stanford University - “The Wreck at Stanford University” in the “Various Aspects of the San Francisco Disaster” article in The Monumental News Magazine, Vol. XVIII, No. 8, August, 1906, pp. 555-558.

    “The earthquake was evidently much more violent at Palo Alto near which stands the famous Leland Stanford Jr. University, then at San Francisco, judging from the fearful havoc wrought.

    “The magnificent Stanford Memorial Chapel was almost totally wrecked. The tall, heavy spire was shaken from its base and came crashing down through the roof of the nave, the compressed air blowing off the upper part of both ends of the church. The walls, generally, of steel construction are intact, but the entire interior of the church is totally wrecked. The Memorial Chapel was erected in honor of Hon. Leland Stanford, by his wife, Mrs. Jane L. Stanford, at a cost of more than $1,000,000.

    “The interior contained many beautiful and costly memorial windows, mosaics and sacred statuary. Among other splendid works of art were full life size marble statues of Christ and the twelve Apostles. No attempt will be made for the present to rebuild this magnificent chapel.

    “The shock also wrecked the unfinished library building, the new gymnasium and the Art Museum. The power house was wrecked by the fall of the heavy chimney. The latter was snapped off near the base like a pipe stem. Much damage was also done to the chemistry building and the expensive apparatus and laboratory. Other buildings suffered more or less damage.

    “The famous Memorial Arch which was illustrated and described in detail in The Monumental News of November, 1901, had its upper part snapped off and is split almost to the base, so that it is practically an entire wreck and will have to be rebuilt.

    “The Great Memorial Arch at Stanford University Before and After the Earthquake.”

    (Photo caption, pp. 555) “The Great Memorial Arch at Stanford University Before and After the Earthquake.”

    “This great arch was principally built of brick, reinforced with steel and faced with San Jose sandstone. With the exception of ‘St. Denis’ in Paris, this was the largest arch in the world. It was larger than the famous structure at Rome - the Arch of Emperor Titus - erected in honor of that renowned pagan general upon his victorious return after the destruction of Jerusalem.

    “The arch was over 100 feet high, and running around it at a height of 80 feet was a frieze portraying a sculptured story of American civilization. The total length of the frieze on all four sides was 232 feet, its height 12 feet, and it contained 150 heroic figures standing out in relief from one to two feet. That portion of the frieze extending across the front of the arch is 86 feet long. The frieze was modeled by Rupert Schmid, of San Francisco, and executed under his supervision. Mr. Schmid and a dozen assistants were over 18 months at the work.

    “One of our illustrations shows how the famous ‘Angel of Grief’ was wrecked. This work of sculptural art is on the university grounds a few rods from the beautiful marble mausoleum in which are the ashes of Hon. Leland Stanford, his son, and those of the late Mrs. Jane L. Stanford. The mausoleum sustained comparatively small damage. The Angel of Grief was one of the most notable pieces of sculpture in California. It represented an angel kneeling, with bowed head, in prayer. The figure was of heroic size and was carved from white Italian marble. The work was executed in Italy. All the marble circular canopy, and the shapely pillars supporting the upper work, were smashed to pieces. The angel figure also suffered irreparable damage. Besides being cracked and otherwise marred, the lower half of one of the wings was broken off. The damages, it is thought, are beyond all repair.

    “The Angel of Grief, Stanford University, After The Earthquake.”

    (Photo caption, pp. 556) “The Angel of Grief, Stanford University, After The Earthquake.”

    “At first the total damage to Stanford University was estimated as high as $7,000,000; however, a closer examination of the wrecked and damaged buildings by experts shows that the losses are much less than at first reported.

    “For the present, only the most necessary repairs will be made. The endowment of the university is $28,000,000, which is to be expended in ‘building and maintenance.’ This princely endowment fund is entirely unaffected by the disaster. Fortunately no fires followed the shock. Only one human life was lost - a young student - though a number of persons sustained more or less severe injuries....”

    How the Monuments were Demolished.

    “Our illustrations show the freakish ways in which the shock twisted and turned the monuments of San Francisco. The Dewey monument in Union Plaza, is seen standing stately and unharmed amid the surrounding wreckage, and one of the other picture shows how the statue of Agassiz was hurled from its pedestal and buried head first in the street pavement.”

    “Statue of Agassiz, San Francisco, Overturned And Driven into The Street.”* (Photo caption, pp. 556)

    (Photo caption, pp. 556) “Statue of Agassiz, San Francisco, Overturned And Driven into The Street.”*

    (* Please note that I believe the Statue of Agassiz is located at the Stanford University in Palo Alto rather than in San Francisco as noted in the photo above. Peggy B. Perazzo)

  • Stanford University – the Inner Quad - Sandstone from Greystone quarry, southeast of San Jose, and Palo Alto in today’s town of Campbell. Presented by E. B. Keck. “The City Rocks – Explore the Hidden World of Building Stone – Stanford’s Sandstone.”

  • Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California – Stanford University – the “Stone River” Sculpture by Andy Goldsworthy.  The “Stone River” sculpture is located on the Stanford University campus across the parking lot from the Cantor Center.  (The photographs below were taken in October 2013 by Peggy B. Perazzo)

    According to Charles Junkerman’s article, “A Biography of Stanford Sandstone:  From Greystone Quarry to Stone River,” Andy Goldworthy’s sculpture, Stone River, is made up of 6500 pieces of Stanford sandstone.  (“A Biography of Stanford Sandstone: From Greystone Quarry to Stone River,” (magazine article) by Charles Junkerman, in Sandstone and Tile, Fall 2010, Stanford Historical Society.)
    

    Photographs presented in “A Biography of Stanford Sandstone:  From Greystone Quarry to Stone River” include: (1)  “Outside the Cantor Arts Center, a child explores Stone River, a massive sandstone sculpture by British artist Andy Goldsworthy.”  (2)  “Workers assemble Stone River using 6,500 pieces of Stanford sandstone.”  (3)  “The nearly completed Stone River undulates in front of the Cantor Arts Center in August 2001.”  (4)  Workers erect the stone buildings of the Stanford University Quad, circa 1888.  (5)  “The sandstone used to construct the Quad likely originated in the mountains near what is today Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.”  (6)  “Skilled stonecarvers worked on the frieze of the Memorial Arch from 1900 to 1903.”  (7)  “The 1906 earthquake caused $70,000 worth of damage to the Inner Quad and brought down thousands of tons of crumbled sandstone.”  (8) “Much of the Quad rubble was dumped into what was then called Frenchman’s Reservoir or Peter Coutts Lake.  Today, the site is known as Frenchman’s Park.”  (9) “Rock cutters labor at Greystone Quarry, circa 1890.”  (10) “An outing near Greystone Station in 1914.”  (11) “Greystone Quarry in the 1880s.” (12) “The author’s son, Nick, and wife, Christy, visit the site of Greystone Quarry in the Santa Teresa Hills, some nine miles south of San Jose.”  (13) “Scores of stonecutters worked at the quarry in the 1890s.”  (14) “After the 1989 earthquake created tons of newly damaged architectural stone, the university transferred its inventory to a site on Old Page Mill Road known as ‘The Bone Yard.’” and more.

	Portion the “Stone River” sculpture by Andy Goldworthy at Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (10/2013)

• Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California - Stanford University – Stonework restoration of the Quad by Oleg Lobykin, who is a stone carver who operates Stonesculpt in East Palo Alto. (The following photographs were contributed by Oleg Lobykin.)

  Stone restoration by Oleg Lobykin base of column in the Stanford University Quad	Sandstone structures in the Stanford University Quad

  Detail of sandstone carving in the Stanford University Quad	Sandstone buildings at Stanford University

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