Welcome to Fox Rock Quarry!
This is believed to be the oldest of several large ledge quarries in the Woodstock/Granite area. In the late 1800's to early 1900's the quarry operations here were perhaps the biggest economic driver in the state. Be sure and spend some time enjoying this area, and the entire Granite Historical District.
This is a companion cache to Earthcache GC2Q4RT Woodstock Granite, located in downtown Baltimore, which explores the dimensional stone quarried at this location in the context of a building constructed from it.
In the mid 1800's, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. sent Dr. David Owen on an inspection tour of building material sources. On arriving here he reported: "For about a mile square at this locality is an outburst of quartzose, granite of magnificent quality, both as regards beauty of appearance, compactness of structure and uniformity of color, texture and composition. I have never seen anything superior in this country. Indeed, I doubt whether it can be excelled in any country. It cannot be surpassed for strength and durability by any building material in the world."
Fox Rock Quarry was opened in 1836 on land then owned by Nicholas Owings. A couple of stone cutters from Baltimore named John Emery and Cyrus Gault leased the quarry for a term of 6 years, beginning on November 10th, 1840. To pay the lease, they agreed to quarry at minimum 40,000 cubic feet of stone each year and pay 1.25 cents per cubic foot. The principal early demand was from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for stone stringers, dressed to correspond to the flange and tread of the car wheels. Early in the lease Nicholas Owings died and the land was passed to his son. Many legal issues evolved from the death and debts owed. In the end Emery and Gault worked the quarry for about 10 years and built a railroad from the quarry, acrocss the Patapsco, and connected to the B&O's Old Main Line.
After Emery and Gault abandoned their activity, the quarry sat idle for several years and the railroad spur and bridge deteriorated, never to be repaired. In 1866 the land was part of a purchase by the Jesuits as the site for a seminary named Woodstock College. The main building was constructed entirely of stone from Fox Rock and opened in 1869. The campus buildings still exist less than a mile southwest of here and are now used as a Job Corps training center. The College then sold the quarry location outright and it passed through several hands including William and Matthew Gault who formed the Woodstock Granite Company. The quarry operated under various owners through the 1920's.
To reach the cache:
I recommend entering the park just south of the former Nike Missile Base Complex BA-79C at the trailhead coordinates. DO NOT ENTER THE MISSILE COMPLEX. Proceed west following the fence on your right until you can turn to the north (you will see an old military no trespassing sign here that no longer applies) and continue to follow the fence until you are forced to turn west again. Follow the trail west toward GZ. If you'd rather not bushwhack, then simply resist the temptation to leave the trail.
I can't remember what I put in there for a FTF prize but it is something unactivated and trackable.
This cache is approved by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Obey all park rules!