Quarries in Maine & Quarry Links, Photographs, and Articles
(Continued)

• Blue Hill, Hancock County, Maine - the Blue Hill Granite Company Granite Quarry, one of the Blue Hills Quarries  (medium gray, slightly bluish color) Structures in which this stone was used include: the Post Office in Eastport, Maine; the Post Office (part of) in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Loan and Trust Building at F & 4th, Washington, D. C.; the Post Office in Washington, D. C., and Doorsills, platforms, and paving - locations not stated. (For a more detailed description of granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 9.)
• Bluehill, Hancock County, Maine - the Chase Quarries, from The Commercial Granites of New England, Bulletin 738, by T. Nelson Dale, U. S. Geological Survey, 1923.

  These quarries were "in the town of Bluehill, 3 miles east of Bluehill village, and north of Woods Point."  The granite was reportedly a medium to light-gray color with a coarse texture. 

  Minerals in descending order of abundance:  potash feldspar (microcline and orthoclase), smoky quartz, soda-lime feldspar (oligoclase), and black mica (biotite), with accessory magnetite.

  About 350 feet east of the upper opening there was an area about 200 feet square which produced granite of a medium bluish-gray color with a fine texture referred to as the Chase monumental granite.  It was only quarried occasionally for local monumental use.

  Transport of the granite was by cable road 1,400 feet from the main quarry to the cutting shed and by locomotive track 650 feet more from the shed to the dock.  At the time of the report, the quarries were no longer in operation.

  Granite from the Chase Quarries was used in the following examples:  the New York Stock Exchange, the Lying-in Hospital, the Manhattan Trust Building, and the Grand Union Hotel on Forty-second Street, New York; the General Thomas monument and the trimmings to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Washington; the League Island Dry Dock; and the post office at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

• Blue Hill, Hancock County, Maine - the Chase Quarries, part of the Blue Hills Quarries. (For a more detailed description of granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 9.)

  Structures in which this stone was used include: the Post Office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; the Grand Union Hotel in New York City; the Lying-in Hospital in New York City; the Manhattan Trust Building in New York City; the New York Stock Exchange in New York City; the Trimmings to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D. C.; the Drydock at League Island; the General Thomas Monument in Washington, D.C.; and other monuments. 

• Blue Hill, Hancock County, Maine - the Collins Granite Quarries, part of the Blue Hills Quarries Structures in which this stone was used include:    Part of the Post Office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  (For a more detailed description of granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 9.)
• Blue Hill, Hancock County, Maine - the Doorstone Granite Quarry, one of the Blue Hills Quarries (medium gray, slightly bluish color) (For a more detailed description of granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 10.)
• Blue Hill, Hancock County, Maine - the Grindle Granite Quarry, one of the Blue Hills Quarries  (medium gray, slightly bluish color)  (For a more detailed description of granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 10.)
• Blue Hill, Hancock County, Maine - the Howard Granite Quarry, one of the Blue Hills Quarries  (medium gray, slightly bluish color)  Stone from this quarry was used in the construction of the Gatehouse to High Bridge in New York City and for monuments - locations not stated.  (For a more detailed description of granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp.10.)
• Blue Hill, Hancock County, Maine - the Manning Granite Quarry, one of the Blue Hills Quarries  (medium gray, slightly bluish color)  (For a more detailed description of granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 10.)
• Blue Hill, Hancock County, Maine - the Pittsburg Granite Quarry, one of the Blue Hills Quarries  (medium gray, slightly bluish color)  (For a more detailed description of granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 10.)
• Bluehill, Maine - White Quarry, Looking North.  Showing lenticular sheets crossed by a vertical joint curving from N. 50º W. to N. 50º E.  The black vertical streaks are underground water issuing from between the sheets.  (From The Commercial Granites of New England)

  This quarry was “in the town of Bluehill, 1 1/4 miles east of Bluehill village.”  The operator was Jesse B. Park (Inc.), 1328 Broadway, New York.  The granite from the quarry was reportedly a medium-gray with a slightly bluish color and a coarse to medium texture.

  Minerals in descending order of abundance:  potash feldspar (microcline and orthoclase), smoky quartz, soda-lime feldspar (oligoclase), and black mica (biotite), together with accessory zircon and magnetite.

  The White Quarry was opened about 1855.  In 1906 the quarry measured 300 by 350 feet and had a depth that ranged from 15 to 45 feet.  Transport of the granite was by team one-third mile to the docks.  At the time of the report, the quarry had been idle since 1913. 

  The waste granite was used for paving blocks. Granite from the White Quarry was used in the following examples:  the Woman's Hospital in New York; the Mercantile Trust Co. and Caledonian Insurance Co. buildings in St. Louis, Missouri; the basement story of the District of Columbia Municipal Building; the First Day and Night Bank, the Delamar and Brokaw residences, in New York; the chemical laboratory of the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York; the chemical laboratory of the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey; and the fountain and large monolithic bowl in Deep River, Connecticut.

• Blue Hill, Hancock County, Maine - the White Granite Quarry, one of the Blue Hills Quarries  (medium gray, slightly bluish color) Structures in which this stone was used include:  the Chemical Laboratory at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York; The Chemical Laboratory at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey; the Delmar and Brokaw residences in New York City; the First Day and Night Bank in New York City; the Woman's Hospital in New York City; the Caledonia Insurance Co. building in St. Louis, Missouri, the Mercantile Trust Company building in St. Louis, Missouri; part of the D. G. Municipal building in Washington, D. C.; the fountain and large monolithic bowl in Deep River, Connecticut; and paving, buildings, and monuments - locations not stated.  (For a more detailed description of granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 10.)

  White Quarry in Bluehill. Looking N. 10° W.  Showing the lenticular sheets crossed by a vertical joint curving from a N. 50° W. to N. 50° E., course.  The black vertical streaks are "underground water" issuing from between the sheets.  (From The Granites of Maine, Bulletin 313, 1907, Plate VI-B.)

• Blue Hill, Maine - Granite Works, Blue Hill, Me. 

  (postcard photograph; early 1900s; unmailed)

• Blue Hill, Maine - Granite Quarries - A Brief History of Blue Hill, by Ester Wood, presented by the Blue Hill Peninsula Chamber of Commerce  (photographs and history of the Blue Hill granite industry)
• Blue Hill, Maine - Granite Quarries - "Esther Wood: An Appreciation," by Hugh Curran,  A Journal of Events from the Home of Jonathan Fisher, May 2003, published by the Jonathan Fisher Memorial, Inc.  (The following quote is used with the permission of "The Ellsworth American.") 

  Excerpt from "Esther Wood: An Appreciation," by Hugh Curran.

  "Quarries were a major local employer in the late 19th century. Esther's father was the manager of quarries in Blue Hill and Deer Isle. One of these was located near Friend's Corner and referred to as the Pittsburgh Quarry since so much of its stone went to Pittsburgh, Pa. I visited the site and saw the rubble and shards of granite that had been used to make docks for barges. A thin covering of grass lay over tens of acres of land that had once been mere slag and granite fragments. I could picture the meadows nearby covered with temporary cabins for granite workers, including immigrants from Italy and Ireland and Eastern Europe.

  "As I stood there imagining the hammers and chisels chipping, the noise and yelling as the blocks were shaped to the required sizes, the small steam engines chuffing and swinging blocks of granite onto the barges, I could at the same time see in my mind's eye the work horses pulling wagons with their huge granite blocks slung underneath, slowly and carefully down the hill from the quarry above."

• Bristol, Lincoln County, Maine - the Round Pond Quarry, from The Commercial Granites of New England, Bulletin 738, by T. Nelson Dale, U. S. Geological Survey, 1923.

  This quarry was "in the town of Bristol, one-fourth mile east of Round Pond village, and west of Muscongus Island."  The operator was Peter Svensen & Co., Round Pond.  Granite from the quarry was reportedly of very dark-gray and medium-gray colors with a fine texture.  ("black granite")  Transport of the granite was by cart about 300 feet from the lower quarry and 800 to 1,000 feet from the upper quarry to the wharf in Muscongus Bay.

  The Round Pond Quarry was opened in 1885.  There were two adjacent openings along a northwest-southeast line.  The upper quarry (the northwestern) measured 100 feet square in 1905; the lower quarry measured 400 feet northwest-southwest by 100 feet across, "but with a central part 37 feet wide on each side-that is, 175 feet wide."  The depth for these openings ranged from 10 to 65 feet.  It was difficult to obtain many large blocks.  The quarry was idle in 1916.

  The granite from the quarry was used mainly for small monuments which were shipped to New York without the lettering.  Waste was used to make paving blocks.  The granite from the quarry was used in the following examples:  the Die of the Maine monument at Andersonville, Georgia; the base and die of the General Sheridan monument in National Cemetery at Arlington, Virginia.

• Bristol, Lincoln County, Maine - the Round Pond Granite Quarry  (very dark gray and medium gray shades) Structures in which this stone was used include:  the Die of the Maine monument in Andersonville, Georgia; and the Die and bass of the General Sheridan monument in the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.  (For a more detailed description of the granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 26.)
• Bristol, Lincoln County, Maine - the Round Pond Black-Granite (Upper) Quarry in Lincoln County. 

  Looking South-Southeast. Showing the quartz-diorite sheets crossed by a 2 foot 4 inch dike of coarse pegmatite.  (From The Granites of Maine, Bulletin 313, 1907, Pl. X-B.)

• Bristol, Lincoln County, Maine - Round Pond Black-Granite (Lower) Quarry. (From The Granites of Maine, Bulletin 313, 1907, Plate XI-A and XI-B.)

  A.  Round Pond Black-Granite (Lower) Quarry:  Showing the quartz diorite traversed by a small dike of pegmatite, and both crossed by a 2 foot 6 inch diabase dike.  Looking west-southwest.  The diorite shows joints parallel to the bike.

  B.Round Pond Black-Granite (Lower) Quarry:  Southwest wall, showing a tongue of schist within the diorite, crossed by sheet structure; joint (B) at the right.

• Bristol, Maine - Round Pond Quarry Cemetery Monument. 

  Monument of quartz diorite from Round Pond Quarry, Maine, ready for shipment.  Showing contrast between cut and polished faces. Plate XXII (photograph)  (From The Commercial Granites of New England, Bulletin 738, 1923.)

• Brooksville, Hancock County, Maine - the Bucks Harbor Granite Quarry  (light gray buff color)  (For a more detailed description of granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 12.)
• Brooksville, Hancock County, Maine - the Herricks Granite Quarries (medium gray color)  (For a more detailed description of the granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 17.)
• Brooksville, Hancock County, Maine - the Maine Lake Ice Company Granite Quarry  (medium light gray color)  Stone from this quarry was used for paving - locations not stated.  (For a more detailed description of the granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 20.)
• Brooksville, Hancock County, Maine - the Sargents Granite Quarry  (gray color)  (For a more detailed description of the granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 27.)
• Brooksville, Hancock County, Maine - the Wescott Granite Quarry  (light gray color)  (For a more detailed description of the granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 30.)
• Brownville, Maine - Slate in Brownville, Maine (1906).  Click on the preceding link to read the details of the Brownville slate quarries ca 1906.  The information on the these slate quarries is from Slate Deposits and Slate Industry of the United States, Bulletin No. 275, by T. Nelson Dale With sections by E. C. Eckel, W. F. Hillebrand, and A. T. Coons, Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1906.
• Brownville, Maine - Slate in Brownville, Maine (1914).  Click on the preceding link to read the details of the Brownville slate quarries ca 1914.  The information on the Brownville slate quarries is from Slate in The United States, Bulletin 586 - Maine, by T. Nelson Dale and Others, Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1914.
• Brownville, Maine - the Barnard Slate Quarry  (See the "Brownville Slate and Slaters" entry below.)
• Brownville, Maine – the Crocker Slate Quarry (The following information is from the “Slate and Pencil” section in Stone: An Illustrated Magazine, Vol. XI, No. 6, November, 1895, the “Slate and Pencil” section, Frank W. Hoyt, Publisher, New York, pp. 529.)

  “The Crocker Slate Quarry crew, of Brownville, Me., has been working on winter time – eight hours per day. The Merrill quarry is partly shut down while winter tracks are being laid.”

  • Brownville, Maine - the Crocker Slate Quarry  (See the "Brownville Slate and Slaters" entry below.)
• Brownville, Maine - the Highland Slate Quarry  (See the "Brownville Slate and Slaters" entry below.)
• Brownville, Maine - the Merrill Slate Quarry  (See the "Brownville Slate and Slaters" entry below.)
• Brownville, Maine – the Merrill Slate Quarry (The following information is from the “Slate and Pencil” section in Stone: An Illustrated Magazine, Vol. XI, No. 6, November, 1895, the “Slate and Pencil” section, Frank W. Hoyt, Publisher, New York, pp. 529.)

  “The Crocker Slate Quarry crew, of Brownville, Me., has been working on winter time – eight hours per day. The Merrill quarry is partly shut down while winter tracks are being laid.”

• Brownville, Maine - the Merrill Slate Quarry. 

  Thin Section of Black Roofing Slate from Merrill Quarry, Brownville, ME.  Showing fine matrix of muscovite (sericite) with distorted octahedra of magnetite and (exceptionally for this quarry) a secondary plication results in slip cleavage.  Lenses of chlorite and muscovite or of quart and muscovite or of muscovite alone about some of the magnetite crystals.  Enlarged about 50 diameters. (Photograph from Slate in the United States, Bulletin 586, 1914, Plate XI.)

• Brownville, Maine - the Merrill Slate Quarry.

  Merrill Slate Quarry - Looking S 60°.  The end wall, working face, has 42 beds of slate alternating with quartzite.  The left wall is quartzite that is diagonally jointed. (Photograph from Slate in the United States, Bulletin 586, 1914, Plate XII.)

• Brownville Slate and Slaters," article by Walter M. Macdougall and Gwilym R. Roberts, Down East, The Magazine of Maine, September 1968.

  This article presents the history of the Brownville area slate quarries and workers.  The photographs presented in this article include:  Highland Quarry, Brownville; Group of quarry workmen at Crocker Quarry; Track lift at Crocker Slate Quarry, 1872; Adams H. Merrill, quarry owner; and Crew at Merrill Quarry waiting to be lowered into the pit.

  Many of the early trained stone workers immigrated from near "Bethesda and Bangor in northern Wales." wher many of the workers had worked in the Penrhyn Quarry there.  Another group of stone workers were Swedish, who came from New Sweden to work in the Brownville quarries.

  One of the Brownville slate quarries mentioned in this article is located near Sparrow House, and the authors note that the Crocker Quarry is down the road from the Sparrow house.  The Crocker Quarry was "one of the largest pits in the area."  The quarry was operated by the Bangor and Pisctaquis Slate Company for about 20 years during the time it was actively quarried.  The Crocker Quarry was abandoned in 1912.  Today the quarry is not noticeable from the road as it is surrounded by birch and poplar trees.

  The Merrill Slate Quarry was owned by Adams H. Merrill, and the story of Mr. Merril is presented in this article.  The quarry was abandoned in 1914.  The Merrill Quarry was reportedly at least 225 feet deep, although another person reported the depth to be closer to 300 feet deep.  The Merrill Quarry is located across the river from the Crocker Quarry.  Today the Merrill Quarry is not nearly as deep as rock and trash partially fill the old quarry hole.  This article goes on to provide a "first hand lesson from Hugh Thomas on how a slate vein was 'farmed.'"  Mr. Thomas used the Merrill Quarry to describe the slate quarrying process.

  Another area slate quarry described in the article is the Highland Quarry, which is located east of the Crocker Quarry.  The Highland Quarry produced large pieces of slate.  Today this quarry is mostly filled with water ".to within several feet of the birches that curve out over the pit."  Further west is the Barnard Slate Quarry.  The authors indicate that the last attempt to start up this quarry occurred in 1952.

• Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine - the Grant Granite Quarry, Excerpt from The Commercial Granites of New England, Bulletin 738, by T. Nelson Dale, U. S. Geological Survey, 1923.

  This quarry was located "in the town of Brunswick, 3 miles west of Brunswick village, on the south side of the Maine Central Railroad, on the Merriman farm."  The granite from the quarry was reportedly a medium gray with a fine texture.  When measured for the 1923 report, the opening measured about 75 by 50 feet and had a depth of 5 feet.  Transport from the quarry was by team to the railroad nearby.  At the time of the inspection, the quarry had not been in operation for many years.  (Accessory mineral:  Zircon.)

  Granite from this quarry was used in the following examples:  The chapel at Bowdoin College at Brunswick and the First Parish Church in Portland, Maine.

• Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine - the Grant Granite Quarry  (medium gray color) Structures in which this stone was used include:  the Bowdoin College Chapel in Brunswick, Maine; and the First Parish Church in Portland, Maine.  (For a more detailed description of granite and location of quarry, see Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958, pp. 15.)
• Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine - the New Meadows Granite Quarry  (No further information is given for this entry.  From Maine Quarries and Prospects published by the Maine Geological Survey, written by M. B. Austin and A. M. Huseey, II, John R. Rand, State Geologist, May 1, 1958.)
• Buckfield, Maine – A. W. Libby Marble and Granite Plant (The following information is from the section “Stone Trade News” in Stone: An Illustrated Magazine Devoted to Stone, Marble, Granite, Slate, Cement, Contracting and Building, Vol. XXIV, No. 1, January, 1902, Stone Publishing Co., New York , pp. 66.)

  A. W. Libby has sold his marble and granite plant at Buckfield, Maine, to Horace Murch.

• Buckfield, Maine - the Bennett Pegmatite Quarries.  The following quotation is taken from A Guidebook to Mining In America: Volume 2:  East (Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and farther East), 2000, by John R. Park, Stonerose Publishing Co.  The quotation is used with the permission of the author.

  "Reportedly, the owners have been considering development of the Quarry as a tourist attraction.  Otherwise, the quarry may occasionally be open to collectors on a fee basis.

  "The quarry originally opened prior to 1900 to mine specimen tourmaline and beryl.  Beginning in 1917, quartz crystals were mined for 10 years.  Subsequently, from 1926 to 1931, feldspar was mined.  In 1989, the reported largest morganite crystal in world was discovered in the quarry-it weighted 50 pds..."

  • Buckfield, Maine - the Bennett Quarry (photograph) This web site was presented by the Maine Geological Survey. The quarry was reopened by Holden Brothers Mining in 1989. A photograph of Bennett Quarry is available in Chapter 5 of “Collector’s Guide to Maine Minerals.” (The link from which this information was obtained is no longer available.)
    <http://www.state.me.us/doc/nrimc/pubedinf/photogal/mincolec/minphot.htm>

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