Suzanne Eskenazi, SWCA Environmental Consultants
What do we have here?
In the summer of 2020, archaeologists were surveying in Utah County for a proposed transmission line when they encountered a large sandstone quarry with an abandoned railroad spur. The quarry site contained what looked like a root cellar with steps leading underground, a railway switch, and remnants of other structures, along with a small scatter of historic glass, ceramics, and metal.
The abandoned railroad spur was mostly dismantled, but in some places, the railroad ties were still visibly in place.
What was the history of this site, archaeologists wondered? The quarry was in a remote location, far from any nearby towns and facilities. Where would the quarried sandstone have been transported to, and for what purpose? Could archaeologists determine when this location was used?
Potter’s Quarry and Potter’s Quarry Spur
Archaeologists returned from their survey and conducted more in-depth historic research. What they found out was this quarry and railroad spur are associated with Gilbert Raymond Potter, who was born in 1850 in New York. The 1900 U.S. Census listed him as a 50-year-old mining broker living in Salt Lake City with his wife. Historic maps indicate that the abandoned railroad spur is the Potter’s Quarry Spur, which branched off the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RG). Potter’s Quarry Spur transported sandstone from Potter’s Quarry about 8 miles west to Kyune, where it was then transported on the main D&RG to destinations beyond. Research indicated the railroad spur to Potter’s Quarry was constructed in 1900, and it was used to transport sandstone from the quarry until it was dismantled in 1917. While the rail spur was short-lived, it served an important purpose in transporting building materials out from their rural sources and into more urban areas like Salt Lake City.
Potter’s Quarry Sandstone and the Cathedral of the Madeleine
We know that the Potter’s Quarry sandstone was transported to Kyune, but where did it go once it left Kyune? Further research indicates that Potter’s Quarry sandstone was used to build portions of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, located on 331 East South Temple Street in Salt Lake City. A short article in an 1899 edition of the Intermountain Catholic Newspaper noted that the Kyune sandstone would be used to build the new cathedral. According to the article, the stone was from quarries owned by Potter & McKay six miles east of Colton and it was to be shipped on the Rio Grande & Western Railway. Construction of the cathedral began in 1900 and was completed in 1909. Kyune sandstone was used to construct the walls, towers, and ornamental features. The cathedral is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Kyune Sandstone and its use in Salt Lake City
In the early twentieth century, Kyune sandstone was used in the construction of what is now the Frank E. Moss U.S. Courthouse in Salt Lake City. The building, which was originally known as the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, was constructed between 1902 and 1905, with additions added between 1910-1912.
While this sandstone wasn’t from Potter’s Quarry, newspapers from around that time indicate that the gray Kyune sandstone (like that from Potter’s Quarry) was in high demand. A 1902 Salt Lake Herald-Republican newspaper article focused on the demand for Kyune sandstone in San Francisco, California, and Boise, Idaho. This same article mentioned the Diamond Kyune & Castle Stone company, which was located not far from Potter’s Quarry. The Kyune sandstone was favored because builders felt its quality was superior and because it had a finer appearance once it was shaped when compared to stone from other regional quarries.
Kyune sandstone was also used in the Salt Lake City and County Building in the early 1890s.
The Pitfalls of Kyune Sandstone
Unfortunately, builders later found out the hard way that Kyune sandstone was too soft and it was not well-suited for long-term building stability, as it tended to crack and spall. In 1932, a planned addition to the Frank E. Moss U.S. Courthouse utilized granite after the Kyune sandstone originally used on the exterior walls began to crack.
We know that the Cathedral of the Madeleine suffered the same fate as the Salt Lake City and County Building. The Kyune sandstone began to deteriorate much in the same way it did at the Courthouse. In 1977, the Cathedral underwent extensive restoration work and most of the Kyune sandstone was removed and replaced.
Conclusion
When archaeologists encountered a sandstone quarry and the remnants of a railroad spur in 2020, they did not know anything about its history. While the Potter’s Quarry operation was short-lived, we now know that the stone mined at this location played a role in the construction of one of the most recognizable buildings in Salt Lake City.
References Cited
Deseret Evening News
1901 Kyune Stone for Oakland, Cala. Deseret Evening News. May 8, 1901, page 2. Available at https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6417s25/2407854. Accessed April 10, 2023.
Oliver, Anne, and Kate Hovanes
2019 Cathedral of the Madeleine Parish Facilities Management Plan Study: Assessment of Historic Building Elements. SWCA Environmental Consultants, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Intermountain Catholic
1899 Gray Kyune Stone. Intermountain Catholic. October 12, 1899, page 8. Available at: https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6z61m03/4119574. Accessed April 10, 2023.
Salt Lake Herald-Republican
1902 Utah Stone in Demand. Salt Lake Herald-Republican. May 20, 1902, page 5. Available at: https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s65t4r4r/12197534. Accessed April 10, 2023.
Salt Lake Tribune
1902 Granite Replaces Kyune. Salt Lake Tribune. August 21, 1902, page 3. Available at: https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=13492044&q=%22Kyune%22&sort=rel. Accessed April 10, 2023.