Published: November 21, 2009 03:01 am      

CANAL DISCOVERY: History of Carpenter Stone

In 1829, the same year that the community of Lockport was incorporated as a village, an Erie Canal packet boat arrived at the Flight of Five with a widow and four sons onboard who were destined to change the political and industrial landscape of the community.

Two of the young men of note, Benjamin and James Carpenter, played an important role in transforming the Village of Lockport into the City of Lockport that officially began in 1865.

By 1840, Benjamin and James had established themselves in the stone quarry business under the firm name of B. and J. Carpenter, Quarrymen. Their limestone was drawn form the south bank of the Erie Canal, just west of the Holland Land Transit (Transit St.), and it was widely reported that their limestone was exceptionally hard. Lockport newspaper reports in the early 1850s report, “B. & J. Carpenter, Quarrymen, is one of the most enterprising firms in Lockport. It has furnished stone for the old jail and County Clerk’s office, the John A. Merritt house on the southeast corner of Hawley and Ontario Streets, the Mrs. Wallace I. Keep house on High and Washburn Streets, and numerous others in Lockport.” In addition to supplying the stone, the Carpenter brothers actually constructed many buildings, as well. They also built several churches and businesses, including the Merchant’s Gargling Oil Building on Market Street. In spite of the fact that there were at least four other stone quarries in Lockport, the Carpenter’s had more business than they could handle.

Because of their prime location on the banks of the Erie Canal in Lockport and the low cost of transportation which the canal provided, the men were able to sell stone to build the Court House in Chicago and several buildings and monuments in New York City. Closer to home, we know that the Monroe County Court House was built with Carpenter stone. Location and quality also made Carpenter stone the natural choice for the first enlargement of the Flight of Five in the 1850s and 1860s as well as the first span over the canal that would be called “The Big Bridge.”

History kindly treats the Carpenter men and their business dealings. It was said that their payroll was the largest in the community and no business anywhere in the county achieved a better reputation for fair and honest dealings with its employees and with the public. During the financial crunch associated with the Civil War, the Carpenter quarry paid their men in cash, instead of due bills that were routine in those days.

The Carpenter company employed workers that could skillfully saw blocks of stone into intricate shapes for facades and cornerstones as well as lintel stones. It was said that after viewing the Erie Canal, most tourists would turn and walk to the Transit Street Bridge and watch the huge blocks of stone being sawed into various shapes at the Carpenter quarry. In 1859, having noticed a huge demand for barrels for products waiting to be shipped on the Erie Canal, the Carpenters expanded their product line to include wooden barrel staves and employed about 20 men who produced 18,000 barrel staves each day.

In addition to shaping the industrial face of Lockport, Benjamin Carpenter took an active interest in the political scene in the region. He had served as assemblyman from Lockport to the state Assembly in 1847. In spite of his success, he did not let politics turn his head. In a letter to his brother James, Benjamin stated that his health was good but he was “heartily tired of Albany and the State officials.” By 1864 he had served for a period as president of the Village of Lockport Board. So, it was another natural conclusion that he would be a popular candidate for Lockport’s first mayor in 1865. He easily won the election in that year on the Republican ticket. He had refused to campaign on his own behalf and spent Election Day working in his quarry as usual. After serving two terms as mayor, he was said to remark, “Cutting stone was much easier than trying to please the public.” On April 13, 1888, at the age of 83, the Hon. Benjamin Carpenter passed away quite unexpectedly. He had been working at the quarry that entire day and had refused an offer of a ride home. James Carpenter continued the quarry business until his death in 1891.

Doug Farley is director of the Erie Canal Discovery Center. Contact him at 434-7433. The Erie Canal Discovery Center is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.