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Mulford-Burke Brick Company
Mulford Vitrified Brick Company
History
In 1910, the Mulford-Burke Brick Company was organized by William L. Mulford along with J. R. Burke and
Myers in Los Angeles. The company office was located at 507-508 Stimson Building, 458 South Spring St.,
and in 1912 at 253 South Broadway. William L. Mulford was a native of Illinois, born on February 2,
1863. A vitrifying clay deposit was discovered on their property.
The plant, which has no description, had a capacity of 18,000 brick per day.
Bricks were loaded from the kilns to cars with a Matthews gravity brick conveyor.
In November 1911, Mulford took over the interests of his partners and changed the name
of the company to the Mulford Vitrified Brick Company. William Mulford was president and
general manager, Thomas J. Darmody, vice-president, H.E. Mulford, secretary, and A. A.
Mulford, treasurer. H. H. Mulford, J. H. Furlow, and R. T. Thomas were board officers.
The company office was located at 129 West Third St., Los Angeles.
A second brick plant was built in Montebello. By 1916, both plants had shut down and
William Mulford left to become superintendent the plant of the Metallic Brick Company, Los Angeles.
That year also the two Mulford plants were leased to the Montebello Brick Company. In 1920,
the Simons Brick Company purchased the Montebello plant, tore down the old buildings,
rebuilt new ones and overhauled the machinery. After working at several other brick yards in
the Los Angeles area, William Mulford died in Los Angeles on February 8,
1959.
Mulford Brick
Bottom face of the Mulford-Burke vitrified paver showing the brand name with a pair
of arrowheads. Donated by Roy N. Anaclerio, Jr.
Mulford-Burke vitrified paver is dark red, uniform in color. It has a smooth surface from being extruded and
displays curved wire cut grooves with a slight velour texture on its faces. The sides and ends
have longitudinal cracks, and stack indentations on the sides. The edges are rounded with
press marks. On the surface and in the interior are minor white subrounded quartz and feldspar
up to 1/4 inch across. The brand name on the bottom face is on three lines as recessed block
letters 11/16 inch high, except for the little "o", which is 1/2 inch high. The first line
contains MULFORD, which spans 5 inches. On the second line is BURKE, which spans 3 1/2 inches.
On the third line is BRICK Co, which spans 5 inches. In the upper right and lower left corners
are inverted raised arrowheads, 1 3/8 inches high and 1 1/4 inches wide. The brick is heavy,
weighing 9 pounds. Extruded, stiff-mud process, repressed. Length 8 3/4, width 4 1/4, height 3 3/8.
Bottom face of the Mulford common brick with the brand name in a deep frog. Donated by David Garcia.
Top face of the Mulford common brick with its pitted surface.
Side view of the Mulford common brick.
End view of the Mulford commmon brick.
Common brick is dark red and uniform in color. It is a sand molded brick with some mica flakes in the
sand coating. The edges are irregular and the corners rounded. Sides display stack indentations and minor
white subrounded quartz and feldspar and red clay lumps up to 1/4 inch across. Top face is pitted with
longitudinal strike marks, with no indication of a lip. Bottom face has a beveled rectangular frog 1/4 inch deep,
which measures 6 1/2 inches long and 1 7/8 inches high. In the center of the frog is the MULFORD brand
name in raised block letters, which span 5 3/4 inches and is 1 inch high. The brand name is difficult
to see. Sand molded, soft-mud process. Length 8 3/4, width 3 7/8, height 2 3/8.
Source
Brick and Clay Record, v. 40, no. 8, 1912, p. 380.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 42, no. 11, 1913, p. 987.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 49, no. 12, 1920, p. 1111.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 56, no. 8, 1920, p. 747.
Los Angeles City Directories, 1911-1916.
Copyright © 2006 Dan Mosier
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Comments or questions are welcomed.
Please send email to Dan Mosier at danmosier@earthlink.net.