Warrensburg,  Johnson County,  Missouri

“This quarry was opened in 1867 and since that time has been worked almost continuously.  It is located in sec. 11 and 14, T. 46, R. 26 W., about two and one-half miles north of Warrensburg.  The quarry has recently been leased (1904) to the Forrester Brothers Stone Co. of Kansas City.

The opening farthest west has a vertical face of about 45 feet, which extends about 1,000 feet north and south.  Just east of this, the second opening has been worked to about the same depth and about 300 feet north and south.  An enormous amount of stone has been removed from these openings, neither of which is being worked at the present time (1904)….

The stone is…essentially a fine grained, micaceous sandstone…two-thirds of the stone is what is commonly know as blue, while the remainder is white….Short discontinuous joints, which occur in the stone, are locally known as dries and slips.

The quarry is equipped with all modern machinery, including a power plant, Wordwellchannelers and steam derricks.  Near Warrensburg located upon a side track of the Missouri Pacific railroad leading to the quarry, the company has a mill in which the stone is sawed and dressed. The quarry is usually worked from March to December and employs twenty men, on an average.

Besides being used for all constructional purposes, the sandstone makes an excellent grindstone.  The gray variety is coarse grained and quick cutting.  The stone known as the “bottom blue” is finer grained and makes a better edging grindstone.”

Source: Quarrying Industry of Missouri, Vol. 2, 1904.