The Aberdeen granite quarry was the source of the exterior gray granite blocks used in the construction of the gold-domed Colorado State Capitol in Denver.  The quarry is located on South Beaver Creek 7 miles SW of Gunnison at an elevation of 7550’.  It operated from August 8, 1889 to June 15, 1892 for Capitol construction.  Approximately 24,000 tons of granite blocks, ranging from 10-12 tons each, were produced for the Capitol during those 34 months.  As the blocks were too large to haul by wagon, the Denver & Rio Grande Western railroad constructed a 5-mile spur from its Denver-Salt Lake City 3’ narrow-gauge mainline at its own expense.  The spur reached the quarry on August 15, 1889 and was removed after the Capitol was completed.  The quarry operated sporadically for another 10 years before its permanent shut-down in 1912.  Today, the quarry is owned and managed by the Gunnison Pioneer and Historical Society.

Tour Leader, David Primus (left), greets the MHAers gathering for the tour.

First views of granite outcrops signal that we are getting close.

Looking down from the top of the quarry was enough to convince the MHAers that the lower route was preferred to the near vertical rock scramble.

View up the Aberdeen Valley and South Beaver Creek.

We were forewarned that the lower route would require a bit of wading.

(Above) First view of the quarry area from the lower trail.

(Right) View of the roadbed of the Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gage railroad spur built to haul the granite blocks from the quarry.

(Above) Piles of discarded waste granite are located throughout the site.

A bit of wear and tear makes this historical marker difficult to read.  It explains the quarrying operation and how the granite blocks were cut from the rock face by using short drill holes and feather and wedge tools. Several of those tools are shown along the bottom of the marker.

Drill holes are evident on many of the split granite pieces in the quarry.

A feather is still lodged in one of the drill holes.

A panorama view of the Aberdeen Granite Quarry.