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Tracy Brickyard
History
As early as 1885, John T. Tracy had a brick yard at the north end of I and J streets, Arcata.
Other brick masons associated with him were Peter M., Robert, and William T. Tracy, all of
Arcata. John lived on I Street between 8th and 9th. It is not known exactly when John Tracy
began his brick yard. He died in 1904, and the Tracy brick yard was continued by Peter Tracy as
late as 1916. The Tracy brick yard was the only one listed in Arcata during this period. Peter
Tracy also opened a brick yard at Market and Essex streets, Eureka, in 1913, near the plant
of the Eureka Brick and Tile Company.
Tracy Brick
View of Tracy brick in the Jacoby Storehouse, H and 8th streets, Arcata.
Common brick in various shades of orange, uniform in color. Pits and clasts are abundant with visible
subrounded red and yellow chert, gray sandstone, white quartz, and black metamorphic rocks as pebbles up
to 3/4 inch across. Some display minor light and dark orange flashing. Uneven edges and rounded corners.
Top face has an uneven pitted surface with no discernable lip. Bottom face is flatter. This brick is
distinctively small and thin. Hand-molded, water-struck, soft-mud process.
Length 7 1/2, width 3 1/2 - 3 3/4, height 1 7/8 - 2.
Source
Boalich, E.S., Castello, W.O., Huguenin, Emile, Logan, C.A., and Tucker, W. Burling. "The Clay Industry
In California." California State Mining Bureau Preliminary Report 7, 1920.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 42, no. 2, 1913, p. 139.
Humboldt County Directories, 1885-1916.
Copyright © 2006 Dan Mosier
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Please send email to Dan Mosier at danmosier@earthlink.net.