1920s Grindstone City MI Quarry Current Ghost Town
| Lot number | 15 |
|---|---|
| Auction | Byward Collectibles & Vintage Paper – October Selections |
| Date | October 20, 2026 at 8:00 pm ET |
| Auction house | Byward Collectibles |
| Location | Ottawa |
Description
Dimensions: Standard 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" (approximately)
Condition Report: Good pre-owned condition. Wear commensurate with age and use. Please review images carefully, as they form part of the description.
Publisher: The L. L. Cook Co., Milwaukee
Type: Real Photo Postcard (RPPC)
Postally Used: No
Subject: Grindstone City Marshall Sandstone Quarry / Quarrymen / Draft Horse
Theme: Ghost Town / Industrial History / Occupational / Michigan
Finish: Silver Gelatin
Location: Grindstone City, Huron County, Michigan
Marks: Negative captioned "QUARRY & WORKS / GRINDSTONE CITY, MICH" and numbered 115; reverse marked "All rights reserved - The L. L. Cook Co., Milwaukee"
Date: Circa 1920s; Grindstone City's commercial grindstone industry ceased circa 1929-1930
Features: Detailed silver gelatin real photo postcard documenting the famous Marshall Sandstone quarry industry at Grindstone City, now recognized as one of Michigan's historic ghost towns. The active quarry scene shows numerous quarrymen working among cut stone and rubble, a draft horse with stone-haulage equipment, and industrial works and machinery in the background. Grindstone City's distinctive Marshall Sandstone was prized for its abrasive qualities and used to manufacture internationally marketed grindstones, scythestones and whetstones. The Cleveland Stone Company acquired the Grindstone City quarry properties in 1888 and became the sole proprietor of the local industry, later resuming production in 1923. Competition from manufactured abrasives, particularly carborundum, brought the industry to an end around 1929-1930. The former industrial community and quarry landscape are preserved within the Grindstone City Historic District.
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