Bass Island Brownstone Company Quarry facts for kids
|
Bass Island Brownstone Company Quarry
|
|
Path to the quarry
|
|
 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
|
|
| Nearest city | La Pointe, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Area | 9.7 acres (3.9 ha) |
| Built | 1893 |
| Built by | Sweet, Almson |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000075 (original) 16000241 (increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | March 29, 1978 |
| Boundary increase | May 10, 2016 |
The Bass Island Brownstone Company Quarry is a historic site on Basswood Island in Lake Superior. It was once a busy place where workers dug out a special type of rock called brownstone. This quarry was active from 1868 until 1893. Today, it's a quiet spot, but you can still see clues about its past.
Contents
What is a Quarry?
A quarry is a large pit or hole dug into the ground to extract rocks, sand, or minerals. People use these materials for building, roads, and other projects. The Bass Island Brownstone Company Quarry was dug to get brownstone. Brownstone is a type of sandstone that has a reddish-brown color. It was very popular for building houses and other structures in the late 1800s.
The Basswood Island Quarry
The quarry on Basswood Island is now filled with water. It is about 200 feet (61 m) long and 25 feet (7.6 m) deep. If you visit, you can still see large blocks of sandstone that were left behind. There are also rusty pieces of old machinery that were used to cut and move the heavy stone. All the buildings where the company worked and where the workers lived have disappeared over time.
Famous Buildings Made from Basswood Brownstone
The brownstone from this quarry was used to build some important structures. One of the first major buildings to use it was the second Milwaukee County Courthouse. This building is no longer standing today.
Other Notable Structures
Other famous buildings also feature brownstone from Basswood Island. These include:
- The old Chicago Tribune building in Chicago.
- The Landmark Chapel at the Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee.
- St. Paul's Episcopal Church, also in Milwaukee.
These buildings show how important the brownstone from Basswood Island was for construction in the past.
The Quarry Today
Today, Basswood Island and its quarry are part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. This area is managed by the National Park Service. This means the quarry is protected and preserved for people to visit and learn about its history. The quarry was officially recognized as a historic place on March 29, 1978. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
