THE
Spring 2013
GRANITE CHIPS
Quincy Quarry and Granite Workers Museum, P.O. Box 690724, Quincy, MA 02269
quincyquarrymuseum@verizon.net 617-472-1322
From the President
As the museum moves into the spring season there are several projects we are working on. The
signage developed for the Inclined Plane will be ordered and once received will be installed for this
seasons visitors to the site. The second stage of the capping at the turning mill has begun. We are in
the process of planning walking tours of the granite industry sites in the quarry area. We have lost our
location in Quincy Center due to the planned demolition of the building that housed our displays.
We are looking for a new temporary location and are following up on several potential sites.
Continue to watch our website quincyquarrymuseum.org for updated information on planned
activities and the latest happenings.
"Life Magazine" Donation
The cover of "Life Magazine" August 8, 1938, pictured swimmers diving into a Quincy quarry. The
recreational history of the quarries and the surrounding areas are part of the overall history of the
granite industry of Quincy. Youths through out the years have congregated at the quarry swimming
holes for social activities, which included swimming, jumping and diving into the cool clear waters.
The quarries were also known as a destination place to partake of some refreshments. Acquiring this
issue of ”Life Magazine" will enhance the museum's collection of the recreational history of the
granite industry. The Museum would like to identify the young men pictured on the cover which
would greatly add to the historical value when displaying this artifact. The copy of "Life Magazine"
was donated by Matthew Ballou who is the great-great grand nephew of John C. Ballou who was in
the granite business in Quincy and owner of the Ballou Quarry in West Quincy.
Local Cultural Council Grant 2012
The museum submitted and received a Local Cultural Council Grant for 2012 from the Quincy Arts
Council for $400. The grant is funded through the Massachusetts Cultural Council and administered
through Quincy Arts and the Quincy Historical Society. The grant awarded to the quarry museum is
to establish interpretive signage for the historic Lyons Turning Mill site on Quarry Hills Drive. The intent
of this project will be to bring the residents and tourists and the school children of Quincy the history
of the Lyons Turning Mill in the quarry area of West Quincy. The story of this historical site will be told
through a series of photographs and narratives describing the turning mill operation that created
massive column, bases and spheres of granite. The interpretive signage will include photos of the
interior showing some of the machinery which produced the columns and round spheres of granite.
Photos of the exterior of the mill will show the Lyons Quarry with the workers quarrying the granite and
also the Quincy Quarry Railroad Company's railcars entering the mill. There has never been an effort
to tell the story of this historic structure and what was produced with the machinery at the mill. The
interpretative signage will be attached to the fencing to enable viewing of the information.
Membership Meeting November
A membership meeting was held on November 10th at the Ward Four Community Center. There
was an update on the museum progress by president Al Bina . Subjects covered were the new
window display at Quincy Center featuring the Transportation of Quincy Granite, the new city hall
lobby display that traces the history of the town house to the present city hall, Inclined Plane
interpretative signage sign permit from the city and archaeology day at the Lyons Turning Mill. Also
discussed was the presentation by the museum at the senior conference, local cultural council
grants, application by the museum to Mass Historical Commission for a survey and planning grant for
the Lyons Turning Mill and funding request from Community preservation for 2013. After a question
and answer period there were two power point presentations given. The first presentation by Al Bina
was on the stabilization of the east wall section of the turning mill showing the construction sequence
through to the completion of the capping of the wall. The second power point presentation was
given by Museum member Tom Bonomi who presented the complete history of the Lyons Turning Mill
from it's construction in 1893 to the closing in 1917. The presentation had a series of photos of the mill,
both interior and exterior. Interior photos showed location of machinery used to turn granite
products and granite workers at work in the mill. The exterior photo showed the mill after
construction in1893 and a photo looking east across the Lyons quarry. Museum members set up a
display of historic photos of the mill and it's operation. The meeting was open to the public and
meeting attendance was between 35 and 40. Refreshments were available at the meeting.
Interpretive Signage at Inclined Plane Railway
The Quincy Quarry Museum is in the process of moving forward with the Inclined Plane Project. The
goal of the project is to erect interpretive signage at the historic inclined plane railway that was used
along with the Granite Railway, the first commercial railroad in America. A presentation was made to
the City of Quincy's Recreation Committee. There were several questions including what type of
frame and size of interpretive sign and content that will appear on the signage. All these questions
were answered to the satisfaction of the committee. The only question remaining to move the
project forward is the question does the Museum require a sign permit from the City of Quincy to
erect the signage at the inclined plane. The committee will request from the solicitor if a sign permit is
required by the museum to erect the sign. To date we have not received word back yet from the
committee.
Quarry Watch Donation
The quarry watch was known by the family of Isaac Hirvimaki as the "quarry watch". Isaac Hirvimaki
was born in Jalas Jarvi, Finland in 1873 and immigrated to America in 1892. He and his wife Lydia
raised their family on Kent Street in West Quincy. Isaac worked as a quarry man in Hitchcock Quarry
located in what was called the North Commons along Quarry Street. The family remembered he
always checked his watch before he left each morning to work the quarry. The watch was donated
by Martha Ahola Robinson of Quincy, a niece of Isaac Hhirvimaki. Martha was also able to locate
photos of Isaac which were scanned and placed in Isaac's folder. When an artifact is donated it's
great to acquire a photo of the individual to put a face on the donated artifact.
To Contact the Museum
Email quincyquarrymuseum@verizon.net U.S. Mail Quincy Quarry Museum P.O. Box 690724
Quincy, MA. 02269 Web site quincyquarrymuseum.org
Local Cultural Council Grant for 2013
The Museum has submitted an application for a Local Cultural Council Grant for 2013. The funding
source for this grant comes from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and administered through the
Quincy Arts Council and the Quincy Historical Society. The project title for the 2013 grant is the
Transportation of Quincy Granite. The story that will be told of transportation of Quincy granite will
include pictures and interpretive information beginning with the story of the granite railway the first
commercial railroad in America. Also included will be information on forms of transportation of
granite including ox carts, horse and wagons, early auto truck and the Quincy Quarry Railroad that
was tied into the New York New Haven and Hartford line at the West Quincy station. Shipment of
Quincy granite by granite sloops from the granite railway's docks on the Neponset River and from the
docks located on the Quincy Canal. The display will be mounted on portable panels that will be
placed in locations around Quincy. Any organization interested in displaying this presentation
contact the Museum.
Loss of Window Display at Quincy Center
The Museum has lost the window display in Quincy Center at 1425 Hancock Street. With the
revitalization of downtown Quincy Center scheduled to begin in April, the entire block where the
window displays were displayed is scheduled to be razed. The loss of these windows right in the
middle of Quincy Square was very disappointing because it gave the museum great exposure and
allowed the Museum to showcase the great granite history of Quincy. We are in the process of
finding new locations within the downtown area to tell our story and continue to display our granite
history. Anyone having a location or a suggestion of a location please contact us.
Polished Granite Ball and Base
A beautifully polished granite ball and base, the work of John Nisula were donated to the Museum's
collection by his granddaughter Mary Nisula in his memory. John Nisula was born December 1, 1876
and immigrated to Quincy from the Town of Karstula in the Parish of Toholampi, Finland around 1895.
John Nisula was a Finnish granite worker, an expert in polishing and carving in granite. The sphere
and the base were fabricated by him as a way of demonstrating his skills to possible employers in the
granite industry. John worked in the stone sheds of Quincy. To date it is not known which stone sheds
he was employed in. Also donated were two photos of John Nisula to be placed in his folder in a
reference file of granite workers. Photographs of granite workers to the museum is just as important as
the artifacts because the individual will be forever in his folder in our reference library.
New Members to the Museum
The Quincy Quarry and Granite Workers Museum would like to thank all new members who have
joined. Your support has given the Museum basic startup funds to continue in our goal to save granite
history. We welcome the newest members and thank them for joining us in this effort.
Charles Weiler
Dr. Dean Saluti
Marjorie Cahn
Robert Flahery
Patrick Murphy
Bonnie Mann
Maureen Drummy
Edward Steele
Catherine Formosi
Members Change of Address
To ensure that you receive correspondence on upcoming meetings, newsletters and any other
information sent by the Museum, please notify us of any changes of address. The Museum can be
reached by addressing any correspondence by mail to Quincy Quarry Museum, P.O. Box 690724,
Quincy, MA 02269, e-mail quincyquarrymuseum@verizon.net or call 617-472-1322
Premier Granite and Polishing Company Toolbox and Pneumatic Tools
The Museum has received the donation of a toolbox and several pneumatic tools that belonged to
the Premier Granite and Polishing Company of Quincy which was located on Vernon St., South
Quincy. Jacob Niemi was the owner along with his four sons, Waino, George, William and Speed
Niemi who were all Involved in the granite business. The toolbox was a typical type that could be
found in many stone sheds of that era. We were fortunate to receive the wooden toolbox because
few have survived to date. The toolbox contained pneumatic tools used in the granite industry
including a pneumatic quarry drill that was used to drill small holes for splitting granite with the feather
and wedge method and larger drill bits for drilling and blasting holes in the quarry operation. Also
Included in the toolbox was a pneumatic handheld polisher for polishing small areas of granite. The
donation of these artifacts are a great acquisition to the Museum's collection of turn-of-the-century
tooling in the granite industry in Quincy. The artifacts were donated by family members of Jacob
Niemi which included his nephew James Peterson and Lori Niemi.
City of Quincy Senior Conference
The City of Quincy and the Council on Aging each year holds a senior conference to bring the
seniors of Quincy together for a luncheon and informational seminars. The 2012 conference was held
on September 29th at the Kennedy Senior Center on E. Squantum St., Quincy. The meeting opened
with Tom Clasby the director of the Kennedy Senior Center welcoming over 150 seniors. In the
morning series of seminars, Al Bina gave a power point presentation on Quincy granite which began
with how Quincy granite was formed in the earth to the quarrying granite from the earth and how it
was fashioned by the granite workers of Quincy. There was great interest by the attendees to the
granite presentation that a limit was imposed due to seating capacity for the presentation.
Presentations like this generate interest in saving Quincy granite history and also attracts new
members to join the Museum. Any group interested in having the Museum make a presentation may
contact us at Quincy Quarry Museum P.O. Box 690724 Quincy MA. 02269,
email quincyquarrymuseum@verizon.net or call 617-472-1322
Lyons Mill Stabilization
The Quarry Museum submitted an application for 2012 Community Preservation Funding from the City
of Quincy and was awarded the amount of $150,000 to continue the stabilization of the historic Lyons
Turning Mill which the City of Quincy owns. The grant will be used to cap and stabilize the north
portion of the west wall. The same engineering specifications will be used in the stabilization and
capping as was used for the east wall portion of the mill. No additional engineering design work is
anticipated for the west wall. The request for bids were advertised in the central register which is
required by the state law on all municipality bidding. In September the museum received two bids
from potential contractors on this project. Folan Waterproofing and Construction Company out of
Easton bid $143,500 and Northern Construction Service Company out of Weymouth bid $132,500.
Both were for the base bid and alternate one which included additional repointing portions of the
wall. Both bidders were determined qualified to perform the work, Northern Construction was chosen
to perform the capping and stabilization work at the mill. Work on the mill is scheduled to start in the
spring of 2013. Structures North Consulting Engineering Incorporated will oversee the contractors work
to adhere to the design specifications.
Massachusetts Archaeology Month at the Lyons Turning Mill 2012
The Quincy Quarry and Granite Workers Museum participated in the Massachusetts Historical
Commission's "Features of the Past" in conjunction with Massachusetts Archaeology Month 2012. On
Saturday, October 13, 2012 the Quarry Museum opened the site of the turning mill on Quarry Hills
Drive and conducted tours on the site. Member Tom Bonomi conducted tours with interpretive
information and photos on the mill both interior and exterior and artifacts scattered throughout the
site, including columns in various stages of production. Tables were set up displaying historical
pictures of the mill and its operation in 1893 as it began producing the granite products the mill was
known for. Visitors also were able to view the Lyons Quarry on the site where granite was quarried
and was used in the mills operation and production. Also on display along with information, was a
model of the proposed museum to be built on-site. There was an excellent turnout throughout the
day with a total of 75 visitors to the site including visitors from Worcester to the west, Lowell to the
north and Brewster on Cape Cod. The day was a great success for the Museum in attracting new
members.
2013 Local Cultural Council Grant
The Quincy Arts Council has informed the Museum that their 2013 application for funding has been
approved in the amount of $550 for" The Story of Transporting Quincy Granite". The intent of this
project will be to bring to our residents, tourists and the schoolchildren of Quincy how Quincy granite
was transported and shipped throughout the country. The story of the transportation begins with the
building of the first commercial railroad in America the Granite Railway and all other forms of
transportation, including ox carts, horse and wagons, auto truck, granite sloops and steamships. The
story will be told through a series of photographs and narratives describing the different forms of
transportation. The pictures and narratives will be displayed on portable panels that will be moved
throughout the city. Interpretive material will be fabricated using state of the art signage techniques.
The story of how important the transportation and shipment of Quincy granite was to the granite
industry and to the growth of the Town of Quincy into the City of Quincy has never been told.
Donation of Quincy Granite Quarries Company Bond
The Museum has received a $100 bond issued by the Quincy Granite Quarries Company in 1900, No.
122. All but the first 5 coupons remain attached to the bond(60 coupons in total). The bond was
originally donated to the Thomas Crane Public Library by the Massachusetts Department of
Conservation and Recreation(DCR) Archive Office. The DCR archives located this item in a staff
person's Quincy Quarries research file. Such items are more appropriate in a repository that already
holds similar material. DCR was not in a position to collect or curate such materials. The DCR Archives
only collects records, reports, photos, etc. created by or for its agency predecessors. Their goal was
to identify a more appropriate repository that will provide for the archival preservation of this item,
and the research access of it. The Thomas Crane Public Library also archives written records, reports
photos but does not archive artifacts. The library determined that the quarry museum would be a
more appropriate place for this document. This artifact will now allow the Museum to establish a
display telling the story of the Quincy Granite Quarries Company that was known at the turn of the
century as the "Syndicate" by the granite manufacturers of Quincy. The Museum thanks reference
librarian Mary Clark and the Thomas Crane Public Library for making this donation possible.
Zip Line Proposed in Quarry Area
The Quincy Quarry Canopy Tours that is proposed for the quarry area off of the Ricciuti Drive in West
Quincy is moving forward. The Endriunas Brothers Land Development Company's plan to construct a
zip line system in the quarry area would include the Swingle's Quarry land owned by the City of
Quincy and the Granite Railway quarry area owned by the Massachusetts Department of
Conservation and Recreation(DCR). The City of Quincy has requested and received an(RFP) Request
For Proposals from the Endriunas brothers and have accepted the proposal. The proposal is now
working its way through the DCR permitting process. To move forward with this project both the City
of Quincy and DCR must agree to this proposal. The Quarry Museum has endorsed this project
because we feel it does not affect or disrupt the historic character of the area and they have
agreed to let the museum be part of the welcoming center they will construct. This will allow the
Museum space to tell the story of the historic granite industry in Quincy.
Massachusetts Archaeology Month October 2013
The Museum will participate in archaeology month with interpretive information and photos at the
inclined plane railway on Mullin Ave., West Quincy on Saturday, October 5 from 10 to 3, rain date
October 12. Visit our website for more happenings that day at the inclined plane