California Granite Company
Also known as: Capitol Granite Co.; Union Granite Co.; Big Gun Mining Co.
Why it's listed
Cut into the ground at 5255 Pacific Street in Rocklin, this 7.2-acre granite quarry operated from 1865 until 2005. The site centers on an open pit 85 feet deep, with a 65-foot wooden derrick, a cutting shed, a monument shed, a small office building, a reciprocating gang saw, an overhead bridge crane and railroad tracks. A wire saw added in 1950 is the one noncontributing piece. Founded as Capitol Granite Company on behalf of the Central Pacific Railroad, it became the largest quarry in a city nicknamed the Granite City, employing as many as 100 workers at its peak. Its stone was used for buildings including the Hibernia Bank and Bank of Italy in San Francisco, the Sacramento County Courthouse and the Pearl Harbor naval station. The quarry was the last working one in Rocklin. The site was listed for its local role in the town's growth and industry between 1865 and 1940, and it still looks much as it did in 1900 photographs.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion A at the local level for its link to Rocklin's development and its granite mining industry. It was the largest quarry in Rocklin and the last one operating, running continuously from 1865 to 2005. Its granite went into major buildings in California and beyond, and the quarry and railroad depended on each other.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 12000375, listed July 3, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5255 Pacific St., Rocklin |
|---|---|
| County | Placer County |
| Listed | July 3, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000375 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1865-1940 |
| Architectural style | None (industrial, vernacular in design) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operations ceased with the permanent closure of the mine in 2005; some shed portions have deteriorated and some equipment is missing parts or rusted. |
| Acreage | 7.2 |
| Coordinates | 38.78963, -121.23623 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 12000375.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q65059635
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.