|
Woodbury Granite Company
The Woodbury Granite Company (WGC) was a producer of rough and finished granite products. Incorporated in 1887, purchased and significantly reorganized in 1896, and expanded by merger in 1902 and thereafter, the company operated quarries principally in Woodbury, Vermont, but its headquarters and stone-finishing facilities were located in nearby Hardwick, Vermont, Hardwick. Beginning as a quarrier and seller of rough stone, the company expanded into the business of finishing cut stone and grew from there. It made its name as a supplier of architectural (structural) granite, and grew to become the United States' largest producer, supplying the stone for many notable buildings, including several state capitols, numerous post offices, and many office buildings. With the growing national economy and civic and community pride spurring the construction of many granite public buildings, the company flourished in the years around 1910. Changes in architectural styles and in building tec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hardwick And Woodbury Railroad
The Hardwick and Woodbury Railroad (H&WRR, or H&W) was a Shortline railroad, short-line railroad serving the towns of Hardwick, Vermont, Hardwick and Woodbury, Vermont. Built to serve the local granite industry by bringing rough stone from the quarries to the cutting-houses, the railroad was about long, plus leased track, extended to about at its greatest extent. It connected with only one other railroad, the St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain Railroad, St. Johnsbury & Lake Champlain, in Hardwick. The business arc of the Hardwick & Woodbury was typical of most short line, single-industry railroads. Built as an industrial road in 1895–1897, the line never grew beyond the granite industry, and its fortunes largely followed those of the Woodbury Granite Company, its principal customer and plurality shareholder. With the slump in demand for architectural granite, and especially large stones, caused by changes in building construction techniques and then the Great Depression, the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
