Cross Roads in Denton County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Roark-Griffith Pottery Site

Photographed by James Hulse, April 26, 2024

1. Roark-Griffith Pottery Site Marker

National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form
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Inscription. Stoneware production was a vital activity of the 19th century. A typical layout included clay pits, firing kilns and workshops. James M. Roark (1837-1901) a master potter from Missouri apprenticed at John Cranston's nearby kiln before partnering with J.A. Smith in 1871 to start a pottery works near Big Elm Creek. In 1884, Roark sold the business to M.B. Griffith (1834-1924) and his son, J.F. Griffith (1857-1937). Central to the works was a beehive-style brick kiln measuring 12 feet across. The pottery specialized in utilitarian pieces such as pitchers, bowls, preserve jars, crocks, pots and churns. The business closed around 1900. In 1982, the site was one of five Denton County kilns listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Erected 2021 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 23316.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1871.

Location. 33° 12.696′ N, 96° 59.892′ W. Marker is in Cross Roads, Texas, in Denton County. It is on Historic Lane half a mile west of Raylor Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map.

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Marker is at or near this postal address: 600 Historic Ln, Aubrey TX 76227, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region

and in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area.

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 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Taylor Family Cemetery (approx. 0.9 miles away); Oak Grove Methodist Church (approx. 1.4 miles away); William Edmunds Bates (approx. 1½ miles away); Harrington, Cassady and Clark Cemeteries (approx. 2 miles away); Button Memorial United Methodist Church (approx. 4.9 miles away); Community of Little Elm (approx. 5.1 miles away); Corinth Shiloh Cemetery (approx. 5.1 miles away); Cooper Creek Baptist Church (approx. 5.1 miles away).

More about this marker. Roark-Griffith Site — NPS Asset Detail (Ref. No. 82004501)

NPGallery
The nomination

The view Roark-Griffith Pottery Site and Marker from the street image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, April 26, 2024

2. The view Roark-Griffith Pottery Site and Marker from the street

form describes the site’s significance, stating that it consists of “the remains of mid to late nineteenth century manufacturing and occupation sites… locally built workshops, firing kilns, and clay pits” in Denton County.

NPGallery
Citation of historical significance
The Roark-Griffith Site, listed August 21, 1982 (Ref. 82004501) as part of the “19th Century Pottery Kilns of Denton County” thematic group, is significant for its association with industry and art—specifically the stoneware pottery manufacture that played a role in the economic development of Denton County in the late 1800s

Also see . . . Roark-Griffith - Pieces of the Past: A History of Pottery in Denton County. Denton County Office of History and Culture

New settlers discovered that the clay-heavy soil of Denton County was great for making pottery, thus an industry was born. Between the mid-1800’s until the end of the 19th century, the field boomed and kilns became common infrastructure. In North Texas, making pottery proved to be a successful business venture. Local potters produced houseware for early settlers who were not able to bring those items during
Photographed by James Hulse, April 26, 2024

3. The beehive-style brick kiln
their move.

(Submitted on May 4, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

Credits. This page was last revised on November 11, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 3, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,165 times since then and 100 times this year. Last updated on November 7, 2025, by Carolyn Sanders of Plano, Texas. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 4, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.