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Friday, August 1, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Kingsland Chamber

Did the convicts working at the Granite Mountain Quarry live in a cave?

From 1885 to 1887, more than 300 convicts labored at the Granite Mountain Quarry, cutting stone for the new Texas State Capitol building. An early photograph of visitors to the quarry shows a group of individuals at the entrance of a purported cave used to house the convicts.

From 1885 to 1887, more than 300 convicts labored at the Granite Mountain Quarry, cutting stone for the new Texas State Capitol building.

An early photograph of visitors to the quarry shows a group of individuals at the entrance of a purported cave used to house the convicts. The convicts were reportedly chained in the cave at night elbow to elbow.

However, several clues should alert the reader to this being a little odd. First, there are no caves in granite. Second, housing 300-plus convicts in a cave for 17 to 18 months seems unlikely.

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