George D. Nagle was one of San Francisco's early brickmakers. As early as 1853, Nagle had brickyards on the
hill south of Fort Point on Presidio grounds. In 1861, he opened a brickyard at Brannan and Second streets,
San Francisco. Since that time he operated at four different locations in the city until he closed his
brickyard in 1872.
Nagle made red common and pressed bricks, which were used in many of the early brick buildings in San Francisco.
Outstanding examples of his bricks can be seen at Fort Point, erected 1853-1856. Pressed brick were used in
the fort construction and each brick bore his name.
From the San Francisco Directory 1868.
Fort Point, San Francisco, made of Nagle bricks.
Nagle Brick
Nagle brick with the maker's name on the bottom face.
Common brick was pale red to red, with subangular to subrounded black iron, up to 1/4 inch across, visible
on the surface. Interiors shows about 10 percent black iron and a few round white quartz pebbles up to 1/2
inch across. Gritty, rough surface texture, some display holes ranging up to 1/2-inch in diameter.
Straight to irregular edges and sharp to rounded corners. Lip up to 1/8 inch thick around
the top edge. Longitudinal striations on the sides. Some sides display stack indents, as many as three.
On the bottom face are letters "G. D. NAGLE" in slightly raised block letters with prominent borders
around each letter. Top face is flat with some pits and shows no strike marks. Hand-molded, soft-mud,
sand-struck brick. Arch bricks were also made.
Length 7 7/8 - 8 1/2, width 3 7/8 - 4 1/8, height 2 1/2.
Nagle brick on the exterior wall of Fort Point. Note the black iron specks on the surface.
Nagle brick on the exterior wall of Fort Point.
Nagle brick in the interior of Fort Point showing a brighter red color.
Source
Hawkins, Charles S. Fort Point History. San Francisco, CA: Fort Point National Historic Site, 1977.
