Griffith Griffith (Penryn)
Griffith Griffith | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1823-12-08 Ty Gwyn, Llanllyfni, Carnarvonshire, North Wales |
| Died | 1889 |
| Occupation(s) | Quarry owner, businessman |
| Known for | Originator of Penryn, California; owner of granite quarry operations including Penryn Granite Works |
Griffith Griffith (1823–1889) was the originator of Penryn, California and owned its granite quarry operations.
Biography
Griffith was born on December 8, 1823, at Ty Gwyn in Llanllyfni, Carnarvonshire, located in North Wales. He was the son of David Griffith, who managed a slate quarry. Following his father’s premature passing, Griffith contributed to the family farm before advancing to a foreman position at the Penrhyn slate quarry by the age of 19.
In June 1847, he emigrated to the United States, initially gaining experience in quarries situated in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Drawn by the California gold rush, he reached San Francisco in April 1853 and engaged in mining activities at Coloma, Mormon Island, and Negro Hill. Recognizing the commercial value of granite found along the South Fork of the American River, Griffith applied his quarrying knowledge to secure contracts and emerged as a trailblazer in supplying granite for construction projects in California.
California Granite Company
Griffith launched his inaugural quarry in 1853 at Big Gulch near Mormon Island and Folsom. His granite was used in prominent state structures such as Adams & Co.’s Express building in Sacramento and defensive installations at Fort Alcatraz and Fort Point. The stone was transported via the Sacramento Valley Railroad—the first railroad in California—facilitating distribution to important markets.
Wildwood Quarry
Following the expansion of the Sacramento Valley Railroad (also known as the Sacramento, Placer, and Nevada Railroad), Griffith shifted his operations to Wildwood Station, located north of Folsom in what is now Granite Bay, California. Officially opened on July 16, 1862, Wildwood became Placer County’s first quarry. The increasing demand for dimension granite throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and neighboring regions was supported by early railroad networks that allowed for efficient shipment of large quantities. Granite extracted from Wildwood was loaded onto railcars, transferred at Folsom onto the Sacramento Valley Railroad line, and then moved to Sacramento for further transport by boat or barge to Bay Area destinations. Although this method required significant manual labor, it proved lucrative for Griffith, who supplied rough granite between 1862 and 1864.
The railroad played an essential role in Wildwood Quarry’s prosperity. However, after the June 1862 passage of the Pacific Railroad Act and subsequent construction of the Central Pacific Railroad over the Sierra Nevada mountains, operations on the Sacramento, Placer, and Nevada Railroad diminished. Service became irregular until June 1864 when Central Pacific reached Newcastle, resulting in track removal and bankruptcy for both railroads. To maintain his enterprise, Griffith sought a new quarry location closer to the Central Pacific line.
Penryn Granite Works
Griffith identified a fresh granite deposit situated between Rocklin and Newcastle and named it Penryn, inspired by a Welsh quarry. He developed modest housing along with a stone office building and barn. A rail spur connected this quarry to the Central Pacific Railroad approximately 1.5 miles away; loaded cars descended by gravity while oxen hauled empty cars back uphill. This rail connection combined with completion of the Transcontinental Railroad enabled Griffith’s granite business to access national markets.
Penryn Granite
The exceptional purity of Penryn granite was a result of its position at the heart of the granite belt, yielding stone of "superior" grade devoid of iron content. This absence of iron prevented discoloration and deterioration, even after polishing. The granite displayed a harmonious mottled pattern of white and black, with larger speckles compared to granite sourced from surrounding quarries. Additionally, the site produced a polished black granite variety that was utilized for columns and decorative elements in notable Californian mansions and public buildings.
When samples were presented at the Centennial Exposition, they received acclaim as "the finest globally," attributed to their iron-free nature which guaranteed both longevity and visual appeal. This distinction drew interest from the Interior Department, prompting them to request specimens for assessment. By 1870, Penryn Quarry had gained widespread recognition throughout Northern California for its premium granite and became one of Placer County’s leading industrial ventures, bolstered by profitable contracts secured by Griffith.
Polishing mill
In 1874, Penryn Granite Works inaugurated the state's first and only polishing mill. Driven by a powerful 440-horsepower steam engine weighing ten tons, this facility enabled the manufacture of polished granite columns, pillars, and urns designed for architectural embellishment.
The enterprise flourished; by 1879, Griffith's quarry employed 125 workers and had obtained contracts including the supply of granite for the James Flood mansion in San Francisco.
The end of Penryn Granite Works
Following the death of Griffith Griffith in 1889, his nephew David Griffith took over management but shifted focus towards fruit orchards and shipping rather than continuing granite contracts. As alternative construction materials such as concrete gained popularity, the company’s output dwindled primarily to headstones for gravesites. After David passed away in 1918, operations at Penryn Granite Works came to an end.
David's daughter, Enid Griffith, who died in 1976, donated the company’s office building and quarry grounds to Placer County for conversion into a museum and park. The original stone office now serves as the quarry museum. Both Enid and founder Griffith Griffith are buried in Auburn, California.