356 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



of hammered stone obtained from the North Common in Braintree, cor- 

 responding nearly if not exactly with the present granite quarries in 

 Quincy. It was designed as an Episcopal Chui'ch for the accommo- 

 dation of the king's officers, of the Provincial government, revenue 

 officers, and Provincial gentry ; and was intended, in its sumptuous 

 character, to be as near an approximation as possible to an English 

 church, and was very properly denominated the " King's Chapel." 



When this work was finished, it was the wonder of the country 

 round. People coming from a distance made it an object to see and 

 admire this great structure. The wonder was that stone enough could 

 be found in the vicinity of Boston fit for the hammer to construct such 

 an entii"e building. But it seemed to be universally conceded, that 

 enough more like it could not be found to build such another. 



The stone-trade and stone-quarrying remained nearly in the same 

 condition, it is believed, until about the end of the last century. Soon 

 after that time, an extraordinary change took place; buildings of 

 wrought granite, both the light-colored granite of Chelmsford and 

 Tyngsboro' and the dark granite of Quincy, were used in erecting 

 private and public buildings ; a new spring was given to the busi- 

 ness of getting out stone, which has continued to the present time. 

 During the first few years of the present century, many new private 

 buildings were erected; in 1810 or 1811 the Court-IIouse in School 

 Street was built, after a plan by Mr. Bulfinch ; in 1814, the church on 

 Church Green, Summer Street, was completed, and many others fol- 

 lowed in regular succession up to the present time ; and now the city 

 seems rapidly filling with structures of granite of the most sumptuous 

 character. 



It becomes a most interesting inquiry to what this great change can 

 be attributed. To call the attention of the public to this point, is the 

 sole purpose of this communication. 



I have always understood that the change was caused by the art of 

 splitting granite with small wedges, which was unknown here till about 

 the time in question. This art, apparently not difficult, or requiring 

 any great skill, was yet of so great importance as to facilitate the 

 working of granite, and reduce the cost to such a degree, as to render 

 it a comparatively cheap building material, regard being had to its 

 strength, durability, and beauty. 



The process, now so familiar, is a simple one, requiring no compli- 



