Photographs of the J. K. Pirie Granite Quarry / Railroad Photographs
Located in Williamstown, Vermont
These photographs were taken by Fred F. Pirie. Several of the photographs are dated in 1939 and 1940s. The photographs are used with the permission of Paul Wood, at the Vermont Granite Museum. Most of the photographs have been contributed by Paul Wood and Andreas Kuehnpast. The photo captions were written by Paul Wood. The Vermont Granite Museum welcomes contributions of photographs, etc., relating to the Vermont granite quarrying industry. (Please note that the photographs are not presented in chronological order. Peggy B. Perazzo)
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23. This a duplicate of photo 10. Block is being lifted by a derrick using a baling hitch.
24. Two partially-loaded flatcars in the foreground and two buildings in the background. It seems that a disused derrick engine house with the sign “Eating-House” has been converted into “mess hall”. I wonder if Pirie employed a full-time cook. Looks like a picnic table outside the door for those who wanted to eat outside. The gable-roof building in the right background has two barred windows. I wonder what was kept inside that had to be so protected.
25. A close-up of the same view as photo 13.
26. Full-length view of the flatcar in photos 13 and 25 already to be loaded. The car has both side and end stakes as well planks resting inside the stakes. It looks like the load will be well secured.
27. Loaded flatcar with what appears to be a caboose coupled to its right end. A building in the background has a chimney of unusual shape – could it be for a blacksmith’s forge?
28. Here is another duplicate of photos 10 and 23.
29. Granite worker plug drilling with flatcars in background loaded with small blocks.
30. Track laying crew positioning a switch section with the help of a derrick.
31. Flatcar loaded with two large blocks – one of which, for some unknown reason, is tilted and supported one end with wooden timbers.
32. Close-up of the tilted block in photo 31.
33. Rail switch and scatted railroad ties in the foreground. Stones yard with several derricks in the background.
34. Loaded flatcar in winter.
35. Track (with empty flatcar) with an adjacent narrow two-story gable-roof building of unknown use. Could this be a residence for watchman?
36. Another loaded flatcar.
37. Crew laying track at a switch point. Again a narrow two-story gable-roofed house. The same as in photo 35? This appears to be a close-up view of photo 30 of Pirie Quarry 2
38. Track laying with the derrick’s help.
39. Track crew apparently working on the track bed. Note the small 4-wheel transfer car loaded with the crew’s tools and equipment.
40. Empty Southern Route flatcar. Nice detail view of an octagonal cross-section derrick boom.
41. Winter view of a cluster of quarry-edge buildings. Tip of an in-quarry derrick boom visible in the left foreground. Quarry-edge track with several flatcars.
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