The Stone Quarry on Grandad’s Bluff

A hundred feet or so to the left of the flag, the indentation of the tramway track now covered with shrubs and trees is still visible. The tramway was built in 1869.

The stone to be quarried was first stripped of its top soil, then dynamite was placed in holes made by a well drill to break the stone loose. Large chunks of stone were broken up by dynamite placed into holes made by an air drill. The stone was hauled down to the bottom by the unique tramway which consisted of two cars connected by a long cable. When the loaded car left the top the empty car at the bottom was pulled up. At the bottom the stone was dumped into a crusher and then carried on a belt to a rotation screen. The screen had different sections with openings of various sizes through which the crushed rock fell into bins. The finished product was transported by a railroad spur track. Andy North also worked at the quarry for eight years until it closed due to state regulations and the local objection to the destruction of the face of the bluff.