The first quarry located along Marriottsville Road Number 2 was opened by a small company in Carroll County in the 1850s. They sawed the soapstone into slabs and sold it to be used for bathtubs. But, the business did not do well and was closed in 1860. In 1885 the Maryland Soapstone Company began to operate the quarry, however, they were not able to make a profit this way. Therefore, they ground the stone and sold it to manufacturers of fire-proof and acid-proof paints. Some slabs were sold for fire-brick and hearthstones. This information was taken from Maryland: It's Resources, Industries, and Institutions dated 1893 via Google Books.
By 1910, the Steatite Corporation owned the Quarry and Mill located off Marriottsville Road Number 2, presumably having bought out the Maryland Soapstone Company. I am still researching to determine when all quarry operations on Marriottsville Road Number 2 ceased.
There was another small soapstone quarry, located between Henryton Road and the Patapsco River, about 1/4 to 1/2 mile west of the Henryton hospital site. The quarry had several owners, but in the earliest part of the 20th Century, it was owned by John Richardson, who also owned an adjoining farm. He sold the quarry to his son-in-law, Herbert Oursler. The quarry had its own railroad siding. It was later owned by one of Herbert's sons, and eventually by others who abandoned it sometime around 1950. The land is now part of Patapsco State Park.
ReplyDeleteHello, I appreciate all of the information you have posted on your blog. Recently I've been researching the history of the area between Marriottsville Road 2 and Henryton Road. Have you continued investigating the area? If you are I'd appreciate comparing notes on what you have found. Thanks, Jeff
ReplyDelete