Delving into Quincy’s Granite Past
Celebrating Archaeology Month at the Lyons Turning Mill
The Quincy Quarry and Granite Workers Museum will participate in International, Massachusetts and Quincy Archaeology Month 2022 “DELVING INTO QUINCY”S GRANITE PAST”. The Quincy Quarry and Granite Workers Museum will open the Lyons Turning Mill site for self -guided tours of the mill grounds and remains. Touring the site visitors will view artifacts and interpretative information on the artifacts scattered throughout the site, including columns in various stages of production. The Quarry Museum will also be open for viewing. There will also be historical pictures of the mill and its operation in 1893 producing the granite products the mill was known for. View the Lyons Quarry where granite was quarried and used to produce many of the granite products manufactured at the mill.
The Lyons Turning Mill was built in 1893 by James Lyons to produce round turned products which included monolithic columns, drum columns, balls. urns, balusters and other cylindrical shapes. The mill also produced monuments and products of granite for the building trades of that era. A specialty of the company was the turning and polishing of solid granite balls up to 6 feet in diameter. An example can be seen at the entrance to Quincy City Hall. Columns up to 30 feet in length and 4 feet in diameter could also be turned and polished at the mill. At the turn of the century about 80 men were employed consisting of quarrymen, stonecutters, machine operators and engineers all skilled granite workers.
The open house and tour will take place Saturday, October 15th from 11 to 3 pm at the Lyons Turning Mill on Quarry Hills Drive, off Ricciuti Drive, West Quincy.
Directions: Curry’s Hardware, at the intersection of Copeland and Willard Streets, West Quincy. Proceed under expressway, stay to right to stop sign, the U.P.S. building will be on the other side of ramp. Proceed with caution across ramp onto Ricciuti Drive to end and right on to Quarry Hills Drive. Turning Mill will be 100 yards on left.
Visit our website www.quincyquarrymuseum.org
For more information call 617-472-1322.
