Marble Falls in Burnet County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Granite Mountain

Photographed by Richard Denney, July 4, 2009

1. Granite Mountain Marker

Inscription. "This 866-foot dome of solid pink granite, covering 180 acres, contains the largest quarry of its kind in the United States. This mountain, like all granite formations, was once melted rock similar to lava. As the molten rock cooled thousands of feet below the earth's surface, it hardened into large crystals of quartz, feldspar and several dark-colored minerals. Wherever strength, durability and beauty of finish are required, granite is a favored building stone. The mountain was part of a grant made to Texas colonist William Slaughter. The site became famous commercially when a dispute arose in the 1880s over the type of stone to be used in the Capitol in Austin. The issue was settled in 1885 when Governor John Ireland resisted demands to use non-native limestone. Following this decision, a special track was built to haul the granite to the rail line in Burnet. The stone was generously donated to the state by quarry owners G. W. Lacy, N. L. Norton, and W. H. Westfall. Today granite from the quarry here is shipped to all parts of Texas, the U.S. and foreign countries for use in monuments, shafts, jetties, and buildings. It has been used in the Galveston sea wall and in new state office buildings near the Capitol in Austin."

Erected 1936 by State of Texas. (Marker Number 13357.)

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Natural Features • Natural Resources • Notable Places. In addition, it is included in the Texas 1936 Centennial Markers and Monuments series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1885.

Location. 30° 35.555′ N, 98° 17.95′ W. Marker is in Marble Falls, Texas, in Burnet County. It is on FM 1431, on the right when traveling west. From Marble Falls take FM 1431 W approx. 1 mi. to rest stop ROW. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Marble Falls TX 78654, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Hill Country.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Marble Falls School Building (approx. one mile away); Conrad Fuchs House (approx. one mile away); Marble Falls Cemetery (approx. 1½ miles away); St. Frederick Baptist Church (approx. 1.6 miles away); Brandt Badger House (approx. 1.9 miles away); Governor O. M. Roberts' House (approx. 1.9 miles away); Marble Falls Depot (approx. 1.9 miles away); Jim Lovell (approx. 1.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Marble Falls.

Also see . . . Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. A similar, but larger granite mountain -- Enchanted Rock -- lies about 30 miles west of here. Enchanted

Panorama with Granite Mountain (left) and marker (right) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Richard Denney

2. Panorama with Granite Mountain (left) and marker (right)

Rock is the second largest granite outcropping in the US, the largest being Stone Mountain, Georgia. (Submitted on July 16, 2009, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas.)

Additional commentary.
1. Granite Mountain
Local visitor center literature states that despite continuous mining since the late 1800s "the bulk of the dome has hardly been diminished". But an aerial view suggests otherwise; click on map, switch to satellite view, and zoom in on Granite Mountain.

— Submitted July 16, 2009, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas.

Granite Mountain Closeup image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Richard Denney, July 4, 2009

3. Granite Mountain Closeup

Credits. This page was last revised on October 20, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 8, 2009, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. This page has been viewed 3,902 times since then and 163 times this year. Last updated on October 17, 2024, by Jeff Leichsenring of Garland, Texas. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 16, 2009, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.