The Griffith Quarry Park is what remains today of the Penryn Granite Works which operated from 1864 to 1918.
Griffith Quarry, a registered California Historical Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was a former granite quarry near Penryn, California.
Welsh immigrant Griffith Griffith came to the United States in 1847 and worked in the granite quarries on the East coast before leaving for the Gold Rush. However, the bedrock of the Sierra’s promised a more lucrative career than gold. The Penryn Granite Works was Griffith’s third, and final, granite quarry. Built along the Transcontinental Railroad in 1864, the Penryn Granite Works became one of the most successful manufacturing businesses in Placer County. Stone from the quarry can be seen in projects from local gravestones to the Old San Francisco Mint.
When Griffith died in 1889, his nephew David Griffith took over the Penryn Granite Works. While the quarry operations formally ceased when David died in 1918, the history of the site lives on today.
The Griffith Quarry Museum is operated by Placer County Museums and is housed in Griffith’s original office. The building required extensive renovations before opening. The area around the quarry was partially cleared, trails were added, and fencing was installed. The Museum opened on May 8th, 1981. The artifacts and exhibits on display have changed over time, but have always reflected the donations from Enid Griffith, Griffith’s great-niece, and the local history of Penryn.
Workers hand drilled holes into the rock face of the pit before packing them with black powder or dynamite. Once they were detonated, large chunks of granite were blasted into the bottom of the pit. Boilers and derricks were located in multiple places throughout the quarry site. Once the granite was blasted from the wall of the pit, the derrick would lift them onto flat carts and taken to the main work sheds to be cut, shaped, polished and shipped.
The large derricks required multiple support points. Iron anchors were driven into large granite outcrops to run lines. Some of the anchors can still be found in the park.Throughout the park you will also see remnants of granite with drill marks. These are holes from blasting granite from the side of the quarry or cutting it into manageable pieces for moving. Large holes were drilled for black powder or dynamite, while smaller holes were drilled for a plug and feather. The feather was inserted, and the plug was hammered in. The pressure split the granite along the grain.
The valuable pieces of granite would be loaded onto carts and brought to the work sheds. The useless pieces were left in the tailings pile. There are large piles of tailings throughout the quarry, all in the shape of a crescent due to the derrick’s rotation.
Now a quiet oasis a short distance from the California State Capitol, in the 19th century the Penryn Granite Works was a leader in the industry. Penryn granite was notable for its variation and lack of iron, and the workers produced world-class products from the state’s first polishing mill.
The Griffith Quarry Park and Museum is located in the town of Penryn at the edge of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Though gold brought thousands of men to Placer County, another rock was being mined in this region: granite. The Griffith Quarry Museum was the office of the Penryn Granite Works, which was established by Welsh Immigrant Griffith Griffith in 1864. The museum contains some of the original office furniture of the Penryn Granite Works and exhibits on the granite industry, the Griffith family, and the history of the Penryn-Loomis Basin area. Interactive displays encourage visitors to build a granite wall and learn what granite is made of.Walking trails through the 23-acre park wander around the ruins of the first polishing mill built in California and some of the quarry holes from which the unique Penryn granite was taken. Printed trail guides are available in the museum. The Griffith Quarry Museum is listed on both the California Register of Historical Resources and the National Register of Historic Places.
The Griffith Quarry Park and Museum is located at 7501 Rock Springs Road in Penryn, California. Driving Directions: From eastbound I-80, take the Penryn exit, turn left on Penryn Road, then right onto Taylor Road (approximately ½ mile). Follow Taylor Road to the top of the hill, then right onto Rock Springs Road. Entrance to the Quarry will be on your immediate right.
Opened: Year Round
Pricing: FREE!
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