Illinois Central Railroad Rock QuarryThe information for this history was shared with me by Greg Stallion. His family used to live on Loyd Road just South of Crayne.
Located on approximately 160-180 acres of woodland 1.5 miles East of Crayne midway between the Crayne Cemetery Road and Loyd Road. The current property owner is former Crayne resident Marcus Norman of Evansville, Indiana.
This quarry is believed to have been first established in Crayneville by the Illinois Central Railroad Company in order to supply stone needed to construct the railways being built through Crittenden County during the late 1870's. Large deposits of sandstone were extracted from this site and also used to build chimneys, stepping stones and foundations of various community homes. (There was a couple of these large stones that were at my Grandmother's home, Ethel Brantley's, at her home on the corner of Crayne Cemetery Road and Hwy. 641) and they were used as a walking bridge over the large ditch to walk from her yard to the highway.) I've also been told that some of these stones were also used in the community of Fredonia, Ky as stepping stones for sidewalks and patio's.
The site of which the rock quarry once stood is only visible by those who knew where it once was. Although heavy wooded growth now dominates the old working area, large cut rocks of various sizes are still present in the old quarry.
It appeared to be that the workers of the Illinois Central Railroad Rock Quarry first began cutting their stones out of the nearby bluff itself, starting approximately 35 feet in height and working down.
The quarry was only active for a period of a few short years (1-2), closing shortly after the full construction of the railway.
In the picture above made by Greg Stallion about 5 years ago, the stones were nicely stacked. I've been told just last year, that many of the large cut stones have been taken and not many are left now and the place is a mess.
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