Granite quarry, Hancock County
Item 14053
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Description
Granite quarrying began as early as 1870 on Mount Desert Island at Hall's Quarry. It required the brute strength of both man and ox. Teamsters with their oxen or horses were paid $1.50 a day. Quarrymen consisting mostly of Italian, Swedish, Finnish and Scottish men were paid $2 for a 10-hour work day. Four major companies operated at Hall's Quarry from 1870 to 1965: Standard Granite Company, followed by McMullen Granite Co., Booth Brothers and Hurricane Island Granite Company, and Grenci and Ellis Granite Co. All shipped stone for major building contracts all over the United States.