Our beautiful town began with a Sandstone Quarry that was established in 1887. Sandstone was incorporated in 1889 - the same year the Eastern Railway of Minnesota was completed, connecting Sandstone with both the Twin Cities and the Twin Ports. The Quarry business began to boom - until it didn't, and the quarry equipment was slated to be sold off in the fall of 1894. That plan went up in smoke when the Hinckley Fire destroyed the town on September 1.

In December 1894, Samuel Hill gathered investors and purchased new equipment for the quarry and we were back in business! By the following year, a dam was built to power air compressors for the new equipment, a 700-foot-deep artesian well was drilled, and a wagon bridge was built to improve connections to eastern Pine County.

A creosote plant was built in Sandstone in 1904, providing inexpensive wood blocks for streets and sidewalks. (There was a bit of drama involving the plant and some spring water - we'll be sure to catch you up on that story as we add to the page!) A larger dam was built downstream in 1907, and in 1908 the Kettle River Power Company provided power to both the quarry and the town.

The following years saw a decline in demand for our top-notch sandstone as less expensive building materials gained popularity, maintenance costs increased, Stone Cutters went on strike (1914) and, well, WWI. The quarry closed in 1919.

Check back to the site often as we continue to add more of our history over time!