Where is Quincy Granite?
The Gazing Ball, a shining sphere of Quincy Granite moved from Constitution Common outside city hall to it's new temporary location, still in constitution common, to make way for the Adams Green. Which will run between city hall and the Church of the Presidents.
At the town meeting of February 9, 1844 a committee was chosen to procure a suitable plan for a new Town House of wood or stone. On April 18, 1844 Solomon Willard was added to the building committee and accepted the appointment of architect and superintendent of construction. A town meeting was called on April 20, 1844 to reconsider the vote of a previous meeting to build the new Town House of wood and now that it be built of stone. Construction began on April 27, 1844 and was completed on November 1, 1844
The Inclined Plane Railway designed and built by Gridely Bryant in 1828 for the Granite Railway Conpany. Its purpose was to transport granite down from Pine Hill Ledge to the Granite Railway for transport to the wharf at Gullivers Creek and the Neponset River for shipment by granite sloops.
The beautiful granite entrance to the new Central Middle School auditorium originally was the north entrance of the old Central Middle School. It was determined by the City of Quincy that this impressive Quincy granite entrance should be incorporated into the new Central Middle School. The contractor carefully disassembled the entrance and reassembled it at the entrance to Central's new auditorium. The doorway entrance is light to medium Quincy granite witih a beautifully carved laurel wreath and cornucopias. The granite manufacturer and sculptor is unknown to date.
Swingle Monument in Mount Wollaston Cemetery is an example of extra dark Quincy granite from the J.S. Swingle quarry inWest Quincy.
The Stone Temple designed and erected in 1827-28 by architect - engineer Alexander Parris, has been known as United First Parish Church, the Stone Temple and Church Of The Presidends was constructed in the Greek Revival style and built of Quincy Blue granite. The bulk of the granite for the church came from the Adams family quarry.
The Granite Trust Building designed by J. Williams Beal & Sons and constructed in 1929 was the tallest building in Quincy at that period. The ground level building facade is of dark Quincy granite from the Hitchcock Quarry that was owned by a group that included Theophilus King the president of the Granite Trust Bank in 1929.
Pilgrim Hall Museum
The Pilgrim Hall Museum is the nations oldest continuously operating Museum, located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Pilgrim Hall Museum was designed by Alexander Paris and built of Quincy granite and opened in 1824. In 1922 the original wooden portico was replaced by the present granite six- column Greek Revival Temple front design.
The Pilgrim Hall Museum is the nations oldest continuously operating Museum, located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Pilgrim Hall Museum was designed by Alexander Paris and built of Quincy granite and opened in 1824. In 1922 the original wooden portico was replaced by the present granite six- column Greek Revival Temple front design.
Barnstable County Courthouse
The Barnstable County Courthouse is a historic courthouse in Barnstable, Massachusetts located on Mass. route 6A also known as (The Old Kings Highway). The two-story Greek revival building was built in 1831 and designed by architect Alexander Paris. Built out all large Quincy granite blocks except for the front portico and fluted Doric columns are made out of wood fashion to look like stone. All of the expansions to the courthouse continued to use Quincy granite.
The Barnstable County Courthouse is a historic courthouse in Barnstable, Massachusetts located on Mass. route 6A also known as (The Old Kings Highway). The two-story Greek revival building was built in 1831 and designed by architect Alexander Paris. Built out all large Quincy granite blocks except for the front portico and fluted Doric columns are made out of wood fashion to look like stone. All of the expansions to the courthouse continued to use Quincy granite.
King’s Chapel
The original Kings Chapel was a wooden church built in 1688 at the corner of Tremont and School Streets Boston. In 1749 construction began on the current stone structure designed by Peter Harrison in the Georgian-Style of architectural and was completed in 1754. The stone church was built around the wooden church and when the stone church was completed, the wooden church was disassembled and removed through the windows of the new stone church. The stone church built of gray Quincy granite that was quarried in 1749, in what was known as the Braintree Commons, which later became the town/city of Quincy, Massachusetts
The original Kings Chapel was a wooden church built in 1688 at the corner of Tremont and School Streets Boston. In 1749 construction began on the current stone structure designed by Peter Harrison in the Georgian-Style of architectural and was completed in 1754. The stone church was built around the wooden church and when the stone church was completed, the wooden church was disassembled and removed through the windows of the new stone church. The stone church built of gray Quincy granite that was quarried in 1749, in what was known as the Braintree Commons, which later became the town/city of Quincy, Massachusetts
Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse
Minot’s Ledge lies about a mile off shore near the line between the South Shore towns all Cohasset and Scituate and is part of the dangerous Cohasset rocks. The construction of the present lighthouse was started in April 1855 and completed on June 29, 1860. The lighthouse was designed by Brevet Major General Joseph Gilbert Totten of the Army Corps of Engineers. Building construction was supervised by Capt. by Captain Barton Stone Alexander of the engineering core. The lighthouse consists of 1079 dovetail granite blocks that were quarried from the granite railway company quarry in West Quincy at a total cost of $300,000.
Minot’s Ledge lies about a mile off shore near the line between the South Shore towns all Cohasset and Scituate and is part of the dangerous Cohasset rocks. The construction of the present lighthouse was started in April 1855 and completed on June 29, 1860. The lighthouse was designed by Brevet Major General Joseph Gilbert Totten of the Army Corps of Engineers. Building construction was supervised by Capt. by Captain Barton Stone Alexander of the engineering core. The lighthouse consists of 1079 dovetail granite blocks that were quarried from the granite railway company quarry in West Quincy at a total cost of $300,000.
U.S. Custom House in Savannah, Georgia symbolizes George's import export trade in the 18th and 19th century. The cornerstone was laid on July 20, 1848, and completed in 1852 and was designed by John S. Norris, who also supervise its construction. The building Greek Revival design is 11 bays wide by five bays deep and constructed of 32 inch blocks of load-bearing, gray granite stone quarried in Quincy, Massachusetts. A pedimented portico supported by six monolithic granite columns dominate the main façade. These columns, estimated to weigh between 15 and 20 tons each were shipped from Quincy, Massachusetts lashed to the decks granite sloops. It reportedly took 30 days to transport the columns from Quincy to the site and an additional 30 days to raise them into position. The fluted columns have capitals elaborately carved with a tobacco leaf motif.
Dark Quincy monument is located in West Brookfield Mass. erected in 1921 to honor veterans from the Civil War, Spanish-American War and World War One
Thomas Jefferson monument in Louisville Kentucky erected in 1899 base dark Quincy granite from the Hitchcock quarry
Memorial erected in 1826 at The Old Granary Burial Grounds Boston MA. for Benjamin Franklin's parents. Design by Solomon Willard and built of granite from the Bunker Hill quarry Quincy MA.
Soldiers & Sailors Monument Troy New York 50 foot Quincy granite column plus base quarried at the Frederick & Field quarry and fabricated in their stone shed in Quincy Mass. in 1890.
Adams Academy Quincy Massachusetts built on land donated to the Town of Quincy by John Adams second president of the United States and formally the birthplace of John Hancock patriot and statesman. Built of Quincy granite construction began in 1868 and completed in 1870 under the direction of architect's Henry Van Brunt and William Robert Ware in the gothic revival style at a cost of $29,000. Adams Academy opened its doors in 1872 and operated until 1908, its peak enrollment was 140 students in 1876 – 77. The school was modeled after its football rivals Phillips Academy and Phillips Exeter Academy. There was a strong emphasis placed on classics and Adams students were prepared to attend Harvard.
Vanderbilt Family Mausoleum ,Moravian Cemetery New Dorp Staten Island
Constructed in 1885 it was designed by Richard M.Hunt of New York. It is Romanesque style and the dimensions are 100 by 110 feet by 63 feet high. The exposed portions are Quincy granite, while the vestibule and catacombs are built of marble. The arches and piers are made of limestone. It required 8 million lbs of stone and cost $250,000.00 to build. The contractor was McKenzie and Patterson Granite of Quincy MA. They had to hire an additional 100 men to complete the contract. McKenzie And Patterson had their stone shed on the Quincy Canal .
Constructed in 1885 it was designed by Richard M.Hunt of New York. It is Romanesque style and the dimensions are 100 by 110 feet by 63 feet high. The exposed portions are Quincy granite, while the vestibule and catacombs are built of marble. The arches and piers are made of limestone. It required 8 million lbs of stone and cost $250,000.00 to build. The contractor was McKenzie and Patterson Granite of Quincy MA. They had to hire an additional 100 men to complete the contract. McKenzie And Patterson had their stone shed on the Quincy Canal .
Mount Auburn Cemetery Cambridge MA. It was the the first garden cemetery in the United States, dedicated in 1831. The Entrance was built of Quincy granite to replace one made of wood. The Boston Atlas of 1843 gives the following description of it.
The new gateway and lodges are similar in design and correspond In size to the former ones. They are however of hammered Quincy granite instead of wood and are from the quarry of Octavias T. Rogers & Co. the contractors for the whole work. (O.T. Rogers & Co. was located where the Home Depot store is now on Willard St. West Quincy MA.)
The capstone of the gateway is undoubtedly the largest block of granite ever wrought. It is 24 feet 6 inches in length by 10 feet 9 inches in breath measuring to the outside faces of the abacus, and 4 feet 6 inches in height. The block from which this stone has been wrought weighed ,when first separated from the quarry,130 tons. It’s present weight is 55 tons. It was transported from Quincy to Watertown after being wrought ,on a carriage similar to those used in moving the columns ,and other large stones ,for the Custom House And Merchant’s Exchange (Boston) and drawn by 45 yoke of oxen.The lintel under the capstone is 18 feet long 4 feet wide and 4 feet 6 inches deep and weighs 27 tons. The cost of the whole work ,including an iron fence on each side of the lodges, 25 feet in length will be $10,000.00.
The new gateway and lodges are similar in design and correspond In size to the former ones. They are however of hammered Quincy granite instead of wood and are from the quarry of Octavias T. Rogers & Co. the contractors for the whole work. (O.T. Rogers & Co. was located where the Home Depot store is now on Willard St. West Quincy MA.)
The capstone of the gateway is undoubtedly the largest block of granite ever wrought. It is 24 feet 6 inches in length by 10 feet 9 inches in breath measuring to the outside faces of the abacus, and 4 feet 6 inches in height. The block from which this stone has been wrought weighed ,when first separated from the quarry,130 tons. It’s present weight is 55 tons. It was transported from Quincy to Watertown after being wrought ,on a carriage similar to those used in moving the columns ,and other large stones ,for the Custom House And Merchant’s Exchange (Boston) and drawn by 45 yoke of oxen.The lintel under the capstone is 18 feet long 4 feet wide and 4 feet 6 inches deep and weighs 27 tons. The cost of the whole work ,including an iron fence on each side of the lodges, 25 feet in length will be $10,000.00.
Mount Auburn Cemetery Cambridge MA. Washington Tower
Built of Quincy granite between 1852 and 1854. The architects were Dr. Jacob Bigelow and Gridley James Fox Bryant. The cost was about $20,000.00.
Built of Quincy granite between 1852 and 1854. The architects were Dr. Jacob Bigelow and Gridley James Fox Bryant. The cost was about $20,000.00.
Boston Custom House
Boston Custom House construction started in 1837 and was completed in 1847 at a cost of 1.076 million dollars. Designed by architect Ammi Burnham and constructed of Quincy granite with 36 columns each carved from a single piece of Quincy granite. Each column weighed 42 tons and cost about $5,200 each. Only half of these columns actually support the structure, the others are free standing. The columns are 5 feet 4 inches in diameter and 32 feet high. The tower was added by the federal government in 1913 through 1915. By 1905, increased shipping required the building's expansion. In 1913–1915, the architecture firm Peabody and Stearns added the tower to the base at a cost of 1.8 million. Although Boston at that time had a 125 ft (38 m) height restriction, the Custom House was federally owned and exempt from it. The new tower's 496 ft (151 m) made it the city's tallest. In 1947, the Old John Hancock Building, just one foot shorter, joined it in the skies over Boston. In 1964, it was exceeded by the Prudential Tower.[5]
U.S.Custom House Providence Rhode Island
Construction on the Custom House was started in 1855 and completed in 1857 in the Renaissance style by Ammi B. Young and built of granite from the quarries of Quincy at total cost of construction of $209,723.32. After completion it housed the cities Main Post Office, Federal District Court, District Attorney, Internal Revenue Service, Collector of Customs and Steamboat Inspector.
Construction on the Custom House was started in 1855 and completed in 1857 in the Renaissance style by Ammi B. Young and built of granite from the quarries of Quincy at total cost of construction of $209,723.32. After completion it housed the cities Main Post Office, Federal District Court, District Attorney, Internal Revenue Service, Collector of Customs and Steamboat Inspector.
New Orleans U.S. Custom House
Construction on this monumental granite building was begun in 1848 and built over a period of 33 years. Designed by architect Alexander Thompson Wood. In the 33 years a succession of eight architects follow, each modifying the original design concept. The buildings original design of Wood which included modified Greek and Egyptian Revival elements changed over the 33 years. The building was constructed of brick and sheathed in Gray Quincy granite. Construction was suspended during the Civil War, the building was occupied briefly by Confederate forces and then by the Union Army after New Orleans was occupied in 1862 and it was also use to house captured Confederate soldiers reportedly up to 2000 men at one time.
Construction on this monumental granite building was begun in 1848 and built over a period of 33 years. Designed by architect Alexander Thompson Wood. In the 33 years a succession of eight architects follow, each modifying the original design concept. The buildings original design of Wood which included modified Greek and Egyptian Revival elements changed over the 33 years. The building was constructed of brick and sheathed in Gray Quincy granite. Construction was suspended during the Civil War, the building was occupied briefly by Confederate forces and then by the Union Army after New Orleans was occupied in 1862 and it was also use to house captured Confederate soldiers reportedly up to 2000 men at one time.
Henry Ward Beecher Monument, Brooklyn New York 1891
Designed by American sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward (his other work includes the Ether Monument in the Boston Public Garden) A quote from the Bismarck Tribune of July 5th 1891 states “The statue is of bronze ,heroic size and stands firmly on a simple pedestal of dark Quincy granite”. According to the New York Parks Commission website ,this pedestal is Concord granite. The Granite Railway Company at this time had expanded and had a quarry in Concord New Hampshire, but this looks like it was indeed dark Quincy.
Designed by American sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward (his other work includes the Ether Monument in the Boston Public Garden) A quote from the Bismarck Tribune of July 5th 1891 states “The statue is of bronze ,heroic size and stands firmly on a simple pedestal of dark Quincy granite”. According to the New York Parks Commission website ,this pedestal is Concord granite. The Granite Railway Company at this time had expanded and had a quarry in Concord New Hampshire, but this looks like it was indeed dark Quincy.
Civil War Monument Hingham Massachusetts One example of the hundreds of monuments that honored those that lost their lives during the Civil War. This one is at Hingham MA and was designed and manufactured of Quincy granite by F.J. Fuller's Quincy Granite Co.
Dry Dock No. 1 Norfolk Virginia
The drydock was built between 1827 and 1834, and cost $974,365.65, a very high price at that time. It may have been designed by Loammi Baldwin,Jr, then the Navy's superintendent of drydocks, and its construction was overseen by William P. S. Sanger, a civil engineer. The granite was supplied by the Newcomb Brothers quarry located on the South Common area of Quincy / Braintree and some stone also came from the Granite Railway Company quarry in West Quincy. The dry dock was first used in June 1833, when USS Delaware was dry docked for recommissioning, the first time a large vessel was dry docked in the United States. During the American Civil War the shipyard was taken over by the Confederate Navy, and it was here that USS Merrimack was modified to become the ironclad CSS Virginia. It is now primarily used for service craft.
The drydock was built between 1827 and 1834, and cost $974,365.65, a very high price at that time. It may have been designed by Loammi Baldwin,Jr, then the Navy's superintendent of drydocks, and its construction was overseen by William P. S. Sanger, a civil engineer. The granite was supplied by the Newcomb Brothers quarry located on the South Common area of Quincy / Braintree and some stone also came from the Granite Railway Company quarry in West Quincy. The dry dock was first used in June 1833, when USS Delaware was dry docked for recommissioning, the first time a large vessel was dry docked in the United States. During the American Civil War the shipyard was taken over by the Confederate Navy, and it was here that USS Merrimack was modified to become the ironclad CSS Virginia. It is now primarily used for service craft.
Lincoln Park, Chicago,Illinois
Johann Christoph von Schiller monument erected in 1886 He was a German poet that wrote passionately about the value of freedom and ethics. The twelve foot bronze statue is a copy of many throughout the world and stands on a ten foot pedestal of Quincy granite.
Johann Christoph von Schiller monument erected in 1886 He was a German poet that wrote passionately about the value of freedom and ethics. The twelve foot bronze statue is a copy of many throughout the world and stands on a ten foot pedestal of Quincy granite.
If you find Quincy granite somewhere in your travels e-mail a picture of your discovery to the Museums website quincyquarrymuseum@verizon.net
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