Klondike Quarry ~ Klondike Park - St. Charles County, MO - Places of Geologic Significance on Waymarking.com

County of marker: St. Charles County
Location of marker Inside Klondike Park, on MO 94, N. of Augusta
Marker erected by: St Charles County Parks & Recreation
Klondike Park Campground is located on the site of the old Klondike Sandstone Quarry which closed in 1983. Today the old quarry area can be viewed from the trails that run throughout the park.
Marker text:

Klondike Park
Klondike Quarry
Turning Rock into Glass "The Klondike Quarry was a source of silica sand that was produced by quarrying and crushing the St. Peter Sandstone.

The hard rock on top of the limestone was first drilled and blasted in order to expose the St. Peter Limestone. Once the limestone was exposed and dug from the hillside, it was loaded onto trucks which transported the rock to the onsite crushing facility. The crushed limestone or silica sand was then placed in holding tanks where it was finally loaded onto railroad cars and transported by trin to factories throughout the midwest. It was then used in the production of glass products and other industrial materials such as brick and steel."

2nd Marker text:

Klondike Park
Klondike Quarry
Turning Rock into Glass The Klondike Quarry is located near the eastern end of a 45 mile belt outcropping of St. Peter Sandstone that roughly parallels the Missouri River. Within the park, at an approximate thickness of 100 feet, the St. Peter sandstone lies about 85 feet below what was ground level. The sandstone processing began in this area, also known as the top of the stripping level.

Through a contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the tailings, or leftover rock, were placed as riprap on the Missouri River. Once the contract was canceled, the tailings were dumped on the east and west side of the quarry. Those tailing piles can still be found within the park today. Some of the rock was used in the construction of the park.

There is still evidence of the quarry history in Klondike Park. The lake, which was formed from the quarrying operation, is surrounded by the bluffs with exposed layers of rock. Likewise, leftover silica sand cand be found throughout the park.

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"The land was originally owned by Wilhelm (William) Engelage, a farmer from Prussia. In 1898, the Tavern Rock Sand Company bought a portion of the property and began Klondike Quarry. The silica sand mined from this quarry was mixed with soda and limestone to create glass products. The top layer was used to make amber glass because of its yellow, clay-stained color, while clear glass was made from the white sand found below 18 feet. Production reached a peak in 1945 when 233,420 tons of sand were exported from the quarry to meet the demands caused by World War 2. The quarry was permanently shut in 1983." ~ The Great River Road

Waymark is confirmed to be publicly accessible: yes Access fee (In local currency): .00 Requires a high clearance vehicle to visit.: no Requires 4x4 vehicle to visit.: no Public Transport available: no Website reference: [Web Link] Parking Coordinates: Not Listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   10/02/2017 kJfishman visited it