National Register of Historic Places

Bass Island Brownstone Company Quarry

La Pointe, Ashland County, Wisconsin
Listed
March 28, 1978
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
78000075

About this property

The Bass Island Brownstone Company Quarry, also known as the Basswood Island Quarry, on Basswood Island in Lake Superior was operational from 1868 to 1893. The brownstone was first used for construction of the second Milwaukee County Courthouse, now demolished. The quarry, now filled with water, is about 200 feet (61 m) long and about 25 feet (7.6 m) deep. Blocks of sandstone remain, together with the rusting remains of quarrying machinery. All company buildings and workers' cabins have disappeared. Other buildings built with the quarry's product include the old Chicago Tribune building, the Landmark Chapel at the Forest Home Cemetery and St. Paul's Episcopal Church, both in Milwaukee. The island and quarry are presently included in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and are administered by the National Park Service. The quarry was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 29, 1978.

Location

La Pointe, Ashland County, Wisconsin
46.83218, -90.75575

Categories

INDUSTRY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Booth Cooperage
Industrial
3 mi
Boutin, Frank, Jr., House
Industrial
3 mi
Bayfield Historic District
Listed
3.2 mi
Christ Episcopal Church
Civil War
3.3 mi
Old Bayfield County Courthouse
Industrial
3.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bass Island Brownstone Company Quarry listed on the National Register?

Bass Island Brownstone Company Quarry was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Bass Island Brownstone Company Quarry?

Bass Island Brownstone Company Quarry is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Bass Island Brownstone Company Quarry?

The period of significance for Bass Island Brownstone Company Quarry is recorded as the listed era.

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