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Richmond Pressed Brick Company
United Materials Company
United Materials and Richmond Brick Company, Ltd.
History
View of the Richmond Pressed Brick Company plant.
Courtesy of the Richmond Historical Society.
The Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company in Los Angeles was one of the major brick
manufacturers in Southern California. The company's main office was located in the
Frost Building, 145 South Broadway, Los Angeles. When San Francisco began ordering their
hard red pavers for its streets and enameled and pressed brick for its buildings,
the company took an interest in the San Francisco market. To help cut the expense of
shipping brick from Los Angeles to San Francisco, the Los Angeles Pressed Brick
Company decided to build a new brick plant at Point Richmond, Richmond, Contra
Costa County, where there was desirable clay on the property and a good shipping
port close to San Francisco. The Richmond plant was built on 40 acres in 1907, consisting
of a large building containing a brick press room, a large
brick drying room, and a tile making and drying room. Next to the building were
three, round, down-draught kilns connected to a 60-foot high
square brick chimney. John G. Gerlach was superintendent of the plant. They hired
15 to 20 men to work in the plant and yard, for nine months out of the year.
On the hill behind the plant was a blue clay shale, 39 feet thick, which provided
the material for making common brick and tile. About 1,000 feet north of the blue
shale was a bank of red shale, which was used for making paving brick. Both of these
shales are part of the Jurassic Franciscan rocks that underlie property. At first,
these shales were quarried by blasting and using a drag line scraper. A gravity tram
transported the material to the plant. By 1950, the drag line scraper was replaced
by a Caterpillar bulldozer, which pushed the clay to an overhead clamshell
crane, which fed the material directly to the crushing and grinding machinery. The
same crane was used to unload railroad gondola cars that brought in high grade clays
from Lincoln, Placer County, and Ione, Amador County. The high grade clays also
constituted about 30 percent of the material used in the bricks.
In 1914, the Sante Fe Railroad Company extended a spur line to the plant.
View of the Richmond Pressed Brick Company plant.
Courtesy of the Richmond Historical Society.
The raw materials were crushed in two dry-pan grinders until they passed through a
10- to 14-mesh screen. The raw materials included a grog of broken bricks and a small
amount of barium carbonate to control efflorescence in the finished product.
The crushed materials were then conveyed to elevated storage bins of 2,000-ton
capacity. The clay-mix was then drawn into a pug mill where water was added. The wet
clay passed into an auger where it was compressed, forced into a de-airing chamber
and through an extrusion head as a ribbon of stiff mud. The brick machine was made
by the American Clay Manufacturing Company and had a capacity of 100,000 bricks.
The ribbon of mud was cut into brick by an automatic wire cutter. Workers would
then load the brick onto kiln cars and the cars would be taken to the
brick dryers to be properly dried before firing. Waste heat from the kilns was
used for drying in a twin tunnel dryer 100 feet long. Pressed bricks were put through
a Fernhold brick press with a capacity of 16,000 brick.
Firing was done at first in oil-fired kilns. Common bricks were fired in field
kilns. Special bricks and tile were fired in the three, and later six round down-draught
kilns, each having a diameter of 36 feet and a capacity of 100,000 brick. Another 60-foot
chimney was added to the three new kilns. Bricks were
stacked by hand in the kilns and fired for one week. By the 1950s, a 5 1/2 by 245-foot,
gas-fired Minton tunnel kiln was added. This kiln was equipped with a hydraulic car
pusher and automatic temperature control. It operated on a 3-hour car schedule and
remained in the kiln for 3 1/2 days. Firing was done under pyrometric and cone (04)
control. Temperatures of 1900 degrees F was attained for red brick, 2100 degrees F
for buff brick. The brick was removed by hand after firing. Special type bricks, which
were easily damaged, were individually wrapped in paper when removed from the kiln.
The Richmond pressed brick plant was to supplement the brick production from several
plants owned by the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company. Thus only certain types of bricks
were made at this plant. Aside from the common and paving bricks already mentioned, the
Richmond plant manufactured several types of face brick, Roman brick, and Norman brick.
The types of face brick included Richmond red wire-cut, red ruffle, rug face, standard,
buff, and buff rug. They made six types of Roman-size brick and three types of Norman-size
bricks. The also made split repressed paver brick, brails brick, and fire brick. Many of
the Richmond bricks can still be seen in the buildings standing throughout Northern
California, namely in San Francisco, the buff face brick in the William Taylor Hotel,
the buff Roman brick in the Mills Building, and the red pressed brick in the California
Pacific Building, and the red wire-cut brick, Roman brick, and red repressed pavers in
the Richmond city government buildings in Richmond.
Richmond bricks were shipped out by barges, rail, or trucks. When production began in 1907,
the plant produced 10 million common brick per year. In 1908, the Los Angeles
Pressed Brick Company formed the United Materials Company to sell and distribute its clay products in
San Francisco. United Materials Company opened its office at 10 Third St., San Francisco.
The demand for Richmond bricks and tile were so great in the early years that the plant
could not meet all of their orders. The Port Costa Brick Company was called upon to help fill
the orders for common brick, and eventually the United Materials Company handled all of
the Port Costa products as well. Because of this, it is common to find both Richmond and
Port Costa bricks in the same building. In 1910, the Richmond plant began producing pressed
brick and reduced its common brick production. Different color face bricks came out in 1911.
In 1912, the company produced 9,534,000 brick, valued at over $200,000. Most of those bricks
were taken by the Standard Oil Company at Richmond. In 1914, they started to make fire brick
with high grade clay transported to the plant by rail. In 1922, they began making variegated
rug bricks and these were advertised as "Persian Rug" brick, which provided a warm,
multicolored tone to the brickwork. Starting in 1931, they began making the larger Roman
and Norman face bricks. By 1950, only face bricks were being made at a rate of 25,000
per day. In 1958, face brick production was 40,000 per day.
In April 1920, The Richmond Pressed Brick Company was incorporated with S. W. Smith as
president, Howard Frost as vice-president, W. S. Hoyt as secretary and treasurer. This
allowed the Richmond company to become an independent operation, no longer under control
of the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company. The main office was located in the Sharon Building,
San Francisco. Frank M. Irving became the new Richmond plant superintendent,
and the work force was gradually increased to 50 employees over the next four decades. In
1922, United Materials Company moved its office to 55 Montgomery St., San Francisco, with
S. W. Smith as manager. In 1926, United Materials built a new warehouse at 3435 Ward St.,
Oakland, with Samuel Hannah as manager. The Oakland yard carried all of the clay products
made by the Richmond Pressed Brick Company and they were neatly displayed in a series of
panels. In 1930, the company changed its name to United Materials and Richmond
Brick Company, Ltd. T. D. C. Johnson was president, H. F. Goss, vice-president, and
Lucille R. Koplan, secretary and treasure. Their office was located at 625 Market St.,
San Francisco.
In 1966, the Richmond plant had closed. The plant and most of the kilns were razed. Only
two kilns and one chimney were saved when the property was developed for the Brickyard
Landing Condominiums. The United Materials' warehouse that once stood on Ward Street in
Oakland has been replaced by low-income project development.
Richmond Pressed Brick
Common red brick in the kiln wall of the Richmond Pressed Brick Company.
Common brick is orange red, pinkish red, or pale red, mostly uniform in color. The surface has
a light coat of sand and clasts up to 1/4 inch across are rare, which may be red chert or shale,
white quartz or granitic rocks. Minor light yellow flashing is present on the sides of some
brick. Some have an irregular lip around the top face up to 1/4 inch thick. Minor cracks may be
present. The bottom face is flat and smooth. The top face is flat and pitted with longitudinal
strike marks. The edges are straight and the corners are usually dull. The interior clay body is
orange with a sandy texture of quartz, feldspar, mica, and iron grains. Sand-molded,
soft-mud process. Example shown was made in 1907. Length 8 - 8 1/8, width 3 3/8 - 3 7/8, height 2 1/2.
Richmond red pressed brick in the wall of the Mutual Creamery Building, Oakland.
Richmond red pressed brick is orange-red to red, with straight and sharp edges and corners. The
surface is smooth with minor pits and crackles. Round black iron spots less than 1/32 inch across
are minor. Some sides may have stack indentations. Interior clay body is orange-red and consists
of granular, rounded red grains with a few black iron spots. One of the faces may have the Richmond
brand name recessed inside a rectangular, beveled edge frog. The name spans a length of 4 3/4 inches
as block letters 1/2 inch high. The name is set between two round screw head impressions 1/2 inch across.
The frog is 6 to 6 1/4 inches long and 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Extruded, stiff-mud process, and pressed.
Example shown was made in 1923. Length 8 3/8 - 8 1/2, width 3 7/8 - 4, height 2 - 2 1/2.
Richmond red pressed paving brick. Note the rounded edges.
Richmond red repressed paving brick is orange red, red, or pale red, mostly uniform in color.
The edges are straight and rounded and usually show the repressed line along the longer edges.
The surface is smooth with longitudinal crackles or cracks. The sides may show stack indentations
with a light yellow or whitish flash. Some display fine transverse striations on the sides and
ends. The faces have curved wire-cut grooves and pits, less than 1/8 inch across, and a velour
texture. Some have a few longitudinal grooves on the face. The clay body is red with few to
abundant white quartz and feldspar grains less than 1/8 inch across and rounded red shale grains.
When there is abundant quartz and feldspar in the clay, they appear as white spots on the surface
of the brick. One of the faces may display the Richmond brand name in a couple of different
ways. One version occurs as raised block letters 1 inch high centered on the face with three round
screw head imprints above and three below the name. Another has recessed block letters 3/4 inch
high within a shallow rectangular frog 6 inches long and 1 3/8 inches wide. Extruded, stiff-mud
process and pressed. Length 8 3/8, width 3 3/4 - 4, height 2 1/4 - 2 3/8.
Richmond buff face brick in the wall at 701 Estudillo St., Martinez.
Richmond buff face brick is light to dark buff with straight edges and sharp corners. Sides and
ends are smooth. Some may be finely freckled with round black iron spots ranging up to 1/4 inch
across; the larger spots constitute one percent. The faces display curved wire-cut grooves with
a slight velour texture. The interior clay body displays sand sized grains of white quartz, cream
feldspars, black iron, and red particles. On one side is impressed
with recessed block letters RICHMOND PRESSED BRK CO., 1/2 inch high, and usually off centered.
Extruded, stiff-mud process, and pressed. Length 8 - 8 1/4, width 3 3/4 - 4, height 2 3/8.
Richmond variegated buff face brick in the wall of the Byron Museum, Byron.
Richmond variegated buff and salmon face brick are mottled from light buff to dark brown colors
with round brown or black iron spot up to 1/8 inch across, constituting about 15 percent.
Bricks have straight edges and sharp corners. The faces display curved wire-cut grooves with
a slight velour texture. The interior clay body displays sand sized grains of white quartz, cream
feldspars, black iron, red particles, and a translucent green mineral (feldspar?). On one side is impressed
with recessed block letters RICHMOND PRESSED BRICK CO., 1/2 inch high, and usually off centered.
Extruded, stiff-mud process, and pressed. Length 8 1/8, width 4, height 2 3/8.
Richmond rose and light buff face brick in the wall of an apartment on Page and Cole sts., San Francisco.
Richmond pressed brick in rose and light buff mottled colors. Tiny black iron spots less than 1/16 of an
inch across visible on surface. Edges are straight and corners are sharp. Clay body is buff with grains
of white quartz, white and cream feldspars, pinkish red grains, and black iron grains. Faces not observed.
Extruded, stiff-mud process, and pressed. Example shown was made in 1928. Length 8 3/8, width 4 3/8,
height 2 1/2.
Richmond reddish brown enameled face brick in the wall at 701 Estudillo St., Martinez.
Richmond reddish brown enameled face brick with straight edges and sharp corners. The surface may
display blisters or black iron spots as much as 1/2 inch across. Enamel does not completely cover
the surface of some bricks. Faces not observed. Extruded, stiff-mud process, and glazed. Length 8 1/8,
width 3 3/4, height 2 3/8.
Richmond red ruffled face brick in the wall at St. Paul Episcopal Church, Oakland.
Richmond red ruffled face brick with very rough texture and uniform dark red color with a few
black iron spots. It has straight edges and sharp corners. Longitudinal grooves on sides and faces.
Curved wire-cut grooves on ends, indicating end-cut bricks. Stack indentations displayed on some faces.
Extruded, stiff-mud process. Example shown was made in 1912. This brick has small dimensions.
Length 7 7/8, width 3 1/2, height 2 1/8.
Richmond red rug face brick in the wall of Lakeview School, Oakland.
Richmond red rug face brick is red, mostly uniform in color, with straight edges and sharp corners.
Sides and ends have deep transverse grooves, usually spaced in uneven pairs 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart.
The sides contain 33 grooves and the ends 14 grooves. One side not scored contains a crackled
surface along with both longitudinal and transverse grooves. Faces display curved wire-cut grooves.
Interior clay body is orange with milky white quartz up to 1/8 inches across, red stained feldspar,
and gray shale. Extruded, stiff-mud process. Example shown was made in 1920. Length 8 1/8, width 3 7/8,
height 2 1/4.
Richmond variegated buff rug brick in the wall of the Sharkey Building, Martinez.
Richmond buff rug brick showing the company name impressed into the back side of the brick.
Richmond "Persian" rug face bricks are composed of buff, salmon, and pink colored bricks with straight
edges and sharp corners. The sides and ends have deep transverse grooves at irregular intervals ranging
from 32 to 41 on the side and 10 to 14 on the end. Irregular shaped black iron spots up to 1/2 inch
across can be seen on the surface. Faces display curved wire-cut grooves with a slight velour texture
and pits up to 1/4 inch across. On some bricks the unscored side may contain the name RICHMOND PRESSED
BRICK CO. or RICHMOND PRESSED BRK. CO. in recessed block letters 3/8 inch high. The interior clay body
is buff with grains of white
granitic rocks, brown-tinted quartz, red shale and black iron grains up to 1/4 inch across. Extruded,
stiff-mud process. Example shown was made in 1926. Length 8 1/4, width 3 7/8, height 2 3/8.
Richmond red Roman-size rough textured brick in the wall of the Hall of Justice, Richmond.
Richmond rough-textured Roman brick is red, with straight edges and sharp corners. Ends have
curved wire cut grooves indicating end-cut bricks. Interior clay body is red with small
grains of gray shale and a few granitic rocks. Extruded, stiff-mud process. Example shown
was made in 1948. Length 12, width 3 3/4, height 1 5/8.
Source
Architect and Engineer, March 1917, p. 126.
Architect and Engineer, June 1920, p. 141.
Architect and Engineer, May 1922, p. 125.
Architect and Engineer, October 1922, p. 112.
Architect and Engineer, Oct. 1923, p. 34A.
Architect and Engineer, July 1926, p. 124.
Architect and Engineer, April 1929, p. 12.
Brick and Clay, 1911, v. 39, no. 10, p. 395.
California Division of Mines Report 17, 1920, p. 51
California Division of Mines Report 47, no. 4, p. 573, 1951.
California Division of Mines Report 58, no. 4, p. 514-515, 1958.
Oakland Tribune, February 16, 1913, p. 39.
Richmond City Directories, 1908-1965.
San Francisco City Directories, 1907-1930.
Copyright © 2007 Dan Mosier
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Please send email to Dan Mosier at danmosier@earthlink.net.