Skilled Masons, Stonecutters, & Carpenters

Skilled Masons, Stonecutters, and Carpenters. . The 1893-1894 gold rush brought an influx of men to the area. Some were skilled masons, stone cutters, and carpenters. After having no luck in the goldfields, some men sought employment in Bluff. Mr. Tyndall, a stonecutter and mason, built the Kumen Jones Home and stone co-op. J. R. Lumpkin, also a stonecutter and mason, built the stone meetinghouse and school house. Carpenters included Charlie Stizer, William Nix, and Hibbs. Their craftsmanship is also evident in the early stone homes found in Bluff today. Stones for these structures were blasted from the cliffs north of Bluff., Besides prospectors, newcomers came to the area for ranching and job opportunities. Some were also skilled masons, stonecutters, and carpenters. These included Edward Thompson, Nick Lovis, and D. John Rogers. Several stayed and built their own homes here., Kumen Jones' elegant stone home was adjacent to his original log cabin at the northwest corner of the fort. A fire destroyed most of the home in 1975. Before you are a few preserved walls of the home which now provide a backdrop for the bowery's stage., The stone school house was completed in 1894, followed by the stone meetinghouse in 1895. The meetinghouse was eventually lost due to lightening damage. The school house had a similar fate, but a portion of the building survived which was used as a jail, a library, and as a town office. It is located across the street to the west and is north of and adjacent to the old fire station., Captions , (Photo #1) Kumen Jones home 1895 , (Photo #2) Meetinghouse about 1896 , (Photo #3) School house 1896