Brownstone Quarry History/Features

[Nautical Dreamer]

This past weekend was my third trip to the Brownstone Quarry. I am still trying to familiarize myself with the site. Can any one give some guidance as what features one might find and there approximate location. What does the bottom topography look like? Below is what I have discovered so far.

On my First trip spent most of my time in the southern cove to the right of the access area. Not much to see for we stayed fairly shallow (30 ft).

The second trip my buddy and found one of the walls and followed it southeast all the way to the southern edge. We saw an abandoned motorcycle and other debris in one of the corners at around 70 feet. When we surfaced were directly beneath on of the high cliffs on the south eastern shore. Must have been the best spot to throw stuff off back in the day.

Last weekend 7/8/06 we swam out to the same wall we found on our previous trip. This time headed north along the wall staying around 60 to 70 feet (48 degrees F, 10 ft vis). We came across an old engraving with the date 1888 chiseled into the stone. The date got me wondering if anyone else knows any history about the quarry?

 

[lakewinni]

Hey, I was there both days this weekend taking a class and dive the quarry very frequently. Anyway I can tell you that corner has TONS of crap in it right at 70 feet, and thats after we've pulled a lot of it out. Also in regards to the history that 1888 mark is when they reached that depth of the quarry taking of the rock. It was used as a brownstone quarry until it was flooded over in the early 1900s (1918ish???). After that it pretty much remained flooded with people throwing junk in it until the Hayes brothers leased it from portland and just started developing it. Thats the best I can do off the top of my head but I know some other people will be able to give you a more detailed account.

 

[saltywater]

The quarries flooded in 1936 from a flood and have been full of water ever since.

We occasionally come across similar engravings like you found chiseled into the stone at depth. Some time in the near future we would like to start photographing those engravings and adding the photos to the Browntone Park Website.

A little history of the Quarries prior to the forming of the park can be found online at http://www.portlandct.org/History/Hist.quarries.htm

There are a few cars and motorcycles that have been abandoned over the years and occasionally we have found possible quarrying items such as railroad spikes, steel wedges, etc. There are a few locations that were popular over the years for dumping stuff, anything from safes, personal items, household appliances to vehicles.

With over over 27 acres in the quarry, there are still plenty of areas to explore. Next time you visit, be sure to ask for a site orientation from Frank, Ed or one of the other staff members. They will be happy to give you ideas of areas to explore.

Mike

 

[dbg40]

The quarry was actually semi mined from before we were a country. the King of England had ownership of it, along with everything else here. It is said to be the finest strain of brown sandstone ever found in the US. It is the building stone for most of the brownstone's in NYC, as well as Boston. It was loaded onto "brownstoners", small schooners, that docked on the shores of the CT river, directly across from the quarry. From there, it was transported to all points of the country. as well as England, and is said to have been found as far as India. Most of the local homes (including mine, 1846) were built, at least in part from its stone. A trip across the river to Middletown will show its splendor in the largest churches, municipal buildings, and much of the university. It was mined steadily untill the hurricane of 1938, when the CT river rose from it's banks, filling the quarry completely. At the time, concrete and other more modern building materials were cheap, and readily available, and the cost, and dangerous work of mining, put an end to the quarry. It has been left to the hands of vandals for decades untill recently, when it was seen as a good candidate for recreation. There are some good photos of the quarry in it's full operation, in the office trailer. There should also be a book there that has great pics as well, including the actual flooding in progress. The 1888 date you found, should have been near some initials "HS", in the book, there is a photo of the "HS Waterous gang" a group of miners that most likely carved it there many years ago. Kind of neat to place that date to those faces in the book. There are tools still to be found on some of the ledges, and there are remnants of large wooden cranes that were bolted to the walls of the surrounding cliffs to lift the blocks to higher ground. Recently, some great old crockery was found bearing a mark from Portland ME. Surely there is much more to discover. Next time you visit, ask Frank about the pictures, and see if he will try to find another diver that has been around for a while, and im sure they will help with some sites that may hold some intrest. Hope this helps.
Dave.

 

[Nautical Dreamer]

Thanks for the history lesson. I think I may have come across parts of the wooden crane you were refering to as well. Arround the same location as the date there were two wooden structures protruding from the wall. Sounds like it was one of the old cranes.

 

[dbg40]

Thanks for the history lesson. I think I may have come across parts of the wooden crane you were refering to as well. Arround the same location as the date there were two wooden structures protruding from the wall. Sounds like it was one of the old cranes.

I think I know the little structure you are talking about, it's not part of the crane, and to date, we have no idea as to what it may have been, but it is an oddity. The Crane remnants are massive wooden beams, and you will know them in an instant. One that I have seen still has a gear like iron base to it.

 

[Nautical Dreamer]

Just an after thought, does any one know the original purpose of the stair well that is located in the middle of the manmade peninsula where the picnic tables are now?

 

[saltywater]

Just an after thought, does any one know the original purpose of the stair well that is located in the middle of the manmade peninsula where the picnic tables are now?

There was once a building located over that spot and is visible in the old pictures of the quarry.

 

[ScubaSarus]

I was at my realestate attorneys office last week and the had a history book on Middletown. They showed the quarry with horses or mules and there was railroad tracks going thru it and a big sort of steam engine down there.

Also isnt there supposed to be some sort of slope going downward to the bottom and not just a shear cliff ?

 

[dbg40]

The building that was at the end of the promontory was the blacksmith shop and foundry. we found a great deal of slag and coal ash there, along with lots of iron parts and pieces, too rusty to make out. there was a smaller buildind located at the bottom of the staircase, and seems to have been an easy way to get from one building to the next. Possibly foundry to repair shop? From time to time an elderly gentleman that grew up in town, and whose father worked the quarry, stops in to visit. He's a wealth of information and a hoot to lissten to! Great stories of growing up in the old town, and swiming in the quarry. I love it when he visits.