The Quarries in Sylvan Glen Park Preserve
Timeline
1895 "Golden Granite" discovered
1925-1941 Grenci & Ellis operated the quarry
1950s buildings still standing
1950s Mogul Park ran a day camp for residents
1952 gasline went through - expanded in 1956
1981 Town of Yorktown purchased as parkland - trails established by the Yorktown Land Trust
1989 Town acquired Goldschmidt property but not declared parkland until 2009
2010 Trails in new section of park built by Yorktown Community Trails Program of NYNJTC
2015 The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in NYC contacted the Parks Department to see if they could purchase more stone to finish the Cathedral. The answer was no because it is parkland and thus protected.
Reference Materials
- Postcard above from courtesy of Dolores Pedi
- Sign in Yorktown Museum
- Tax map of area from 1930
- North County News, March 4-10, 1981 - Charles Morrill (© NCN 1981)
- Photo of quarrymen (courtesy of James Forbes)
- Grenci & Ellis advertising brochure (from Yorktown Museum)
- Interview with James Forbes (Jane Daniels)
- Images of Yorktown, Linda Cooper and Alice Roker 2003
- Postcard History Series Yorktown, Linda Cooper, Adele Hobby, John Tegder, Susan Hack-Lane, 2008
Other historic features in the park
- Lime Kiln and shell middens (on gasline west of Turtle Pond Trail (white) crossing)
- Quarry Oak (approximately 300 year old white oak - 220 inch circumference, 104 feet height, 102 feet spread) Big Tree rating 349.5.
- Riding ring which is the Ring Trail