CALIFORNIA BRICKS

California Brickmakers

This is a compilation of past and present brickmakers in California. Brickmakers are listed under the county of their manufacturing plant location. The brick must be available for study in order to be included in this list. The purpose here is to provide an informational guide to help historical archaeologists identify unknown bricks and point to possible brickmakers. Once identified, bricks can be useful for describing the nature of the structure and dating the building site. Bricks found at archaeological or historical sites will commonly be unmarked and provide only a physical description of the brick - its color, texture, size, shape, and manufacturing process. By comparing these characteristics with those of known bricks, we may be able to identify the brickmaker. As this is a work-in-progress, the information presented here is not final and may change with further research. I welcome additional information or brick samples.

For each brickmaker, I'll give a brief history, show pictures of the brick, or examples of the building made of the brick, and provide a full description of the brick. The unlinked brickmakers in the list are currently being researched and will appear in the near future. - Dan L. Mosier

Alameda County

California Brick Company, Decoto and Niles

California Pressed Brick Company, Niles

N. Clark and Sons, Alameda

W. S. Dickey Clay Manufacturing Company, Decoto and Niles

W. S. Dickey Clay Manufacturing Company Plant No. 19, Livermore

Alexander Esdon, Livermore

Gladding, McBean & Company, Livermore

Harbison-Walker Refractories Company, Warm Springs

James and John Hagan, Centerville

Kraftile Company, Niles

Laclede-Christy Clay Products Company, Warm Springs

E. J. Lavino and Company, Newark

Livermore Fire Brick Company, Livermore

Livermore Fire Brick Works, Livermore

Oakland Paving Brick Company, Decoto and Niles

Pleasanton Brick Company (Merrill and Black), Pleasanton

Remillard and Brothers, Oakland-Brooklyn yards

Remillard Brick Company, Pleasanton yard

Romby's Brickyard, Brickyard Slough, Oakland

Rose Fire Brick Company, Oakland

Stockton Fire Brick Company, Livermore

Amador County

Harbison-Walker Refractories Company, Ione

Ione Fire Brick Company, Ione

Western Refractories Company, Ione

Contra Costa County

Albion Pottery, Antioch

Allied Unions Brick Company, Richmond

Antioch Pottery Company, Antioch

California Brick & Clay Manufacturing Company, Antioch

Carquinez Brick and Tile Company, Eckley

Central Brick Company, Richmond

Diamond Brick Company, Pittsburg

Gladding, McBean & Company, Pittsburg

Golden Gate Brick Company, Antioch

Holland Sandstone Brick Company, Antioch

International Pipe and Ceramics Corporation (INTERPACE), Pittsburg

McMaster & Barker, Antioch

Mt. Diablo Sewer Pipe & Paving Brick Company, Antioch

North American Refractories Company, Pittsburg

Port Costa Brick Company, Port Costa

Port Costa Clay Products Company, Port Costa

Port Costa Materials, Inc., Port Costa

Remillard Brick Company, Potrero Yard, Richmond

Richmond Brick Company, Richmond

Richmond Pressed Brick Company, Richmond

Stockton Fire Brick Company, Pittsburg

United Materials and Richmond Brick Company, Richmond

Wilson, Lyon Construction Company, Richmond

El Dorado County

Milton R. Elstner, Placerville

Fresno County

C.J. Craycroft and Sons Brick Company, Fresno

Craycroft-Herrold Brick Company, Fresno

Pioneer Brick and Tile Company, Fresno

Humboldt County

Tracy Brickyard, Arcata

John B. Depuy, Eureka

Eureka Brick and Tile Company, Eureka

John D. Hill, Eureka

Humboldt Clay Products, Eureka

J. D. Thompson Brick Company, Eureka

Thompson Brick and Tile Company, Eureka

Imperial County

Simons Brick Company, Plant Number 5, El Centro

Kern County

Bakersfield Sandstone Brick Company, Bakersfield

Kern County Brick Company, Bakersfield

King Lumber Company, Bakersfield

Los Angeles County

American Refractories Company, Los Angeles

Atkinson Brick Company, Los Angeles

Atlas Fire Brick Company, Vernon

Berg and Oxby, Los Angeles

California Brick and Tile Company, Santa Monica

Castaic Brick Company, Castaic

City Brick Company (Manchester Ave. plant), Los Angeles

Davidson Brick Company, Los Angeles

Emsco Refractories Company, Southgate, Los Angeles

General Refractories Company, Vernon

Gladding, McBean and Company, Los Angeles Pressed Brick Plant

Higgins Brick and Tile Company, Moneta

Jesse D. Hunter, Los Angeles

K & K Brick Company, Los Angeles

Los Angeles Brick Company, Los Angeles

Los Angeles Paving Brick Company, Newmark

Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company, Los Angeles yards

Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company, Santa Monica

Metallic Brick Company, Los Angeles

Mission Brick Company, Van Nuys

Mulford-Burke Brick Company, Los Angeles

Mulford Vitrified Brick Company, Los Angeles

Mulford Vitrified Brick Company, Montebello

Joseph Mullally, Los Angeles

Pacific Brick Company, Pasadena

Pacific Clay Products, Inc., Los Angeles

Pioneer Brick Manufacturing Company, Los Angeles

Pomona Brick Company, Pomona

Refractories Corporation, Vernon

Santa Monica Brick Company, Santa Monica

Simons Brick Company, Plant Number 1, Boyle Heights, Los Angeles

Simons Brick Company, Plant Number 2, Inglewood

Simons Brick Company, Plant Number 6, Montebello

Simons Brick Company, Pasadena plant, Pasadena

Simons Brick Company, Plant Number 4, Santa Monica

Simons Brick Company, Plant Number 3, Simons, Commerce

Spencer & Pugh, Santa Monica

Southwestern Brick Company, Long Beach

St. Louis Fire Brick and Clay Company, Los Angeles

St. Louis Fire Brick and Insulation Company, Huntington Park

Standard Brick Company, Los Angeles

Star Brick Company, Moneta

Vitrefrax Corporation, Los Angeles

Western Brick Company, Long Beach

Marin County

Henry Barker, Tiburon

Bergemann Paradise Yard, Tiburon

Thomas Biggins, Tiburon

Blumenberg's Brickyard, San Rafael

Claude Callot, Larkspur

Fortin Brick Company, San Rafael

John Kearney, Mill Valley

L.P. McNear Brick Company, San Rafael

McNear Brick & Block, San Rafael

Patent Brick Company, San Rafael

Point San Pedro Brick Company, San Rafael

Remillard Brick Company, Greenbrae Yard

Remillard Brick Company, San Rafael Yard

The McNear Company, San Rafael

Mendocino County

Ulysses N. Briggs, Ukiah

Mendocino State Hospital, Talmage

Merced County

California Pottery Company, Merced

William H. McElroy, Merced

Monterey County

Gallant Dickenson and Amos Lawrey, Monterey

Placer County

Gladding, McBean & Company, Lincoln

Riverside County

Corona Pressed Brick and Terra Cotta Company, Corona

Claude P. Hancock, Riverside

C.P. Hancock and Son, Riverside

Gladding, McBean and Company, Alberhill

Higgins Brick Company, Corona

Los Angeles Brick Company, Alberhill

Los Angeles Brick and Clay Products Company, Alberhill

Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company, Alberhill

Pacific Clay Manufacturing Company, Corona

Pacific Clay Products, Inc., Alberhill

Pacific Clay Products, Inc., Corona

Pacific Sewer Pipe Company, Corona

Riverside Machine Brick Company, Riverside

Sacramento County

Addington & Son, Michigan Bar

Cannon and Company, Sacramento

Harvie & Kreuzberger, Sacramento

H.C. Muddox Company, Sacramento

Pacific Pottery, Sacramento

Petit and Queen, Sutterville

John Ryan, Sacramento

Sacramento Clay Products Company, Sacramento

Sacramento Brick Company, Riverside Plant, Sacramento

Sacramento Sandstone Brick Company, Sacramento

Sacramento Transportation Company, Sacramento

Silica Brick Company, Sacramento

San Benito County

Alpine Quicksilver Mining Company, New Idria

San Bernardino County

Hancock Brick Company, Highgrove

San Diego County

Coronado Brick Company, Coronado

Hazard Products, Inc., San Diego

F. L. Hieatt Brick & Tile Company, San Diego

Robert M. Hubbard, San Diego

Mission Valley Brick Company, Inc., San Diego

Mormon Battalion Brickyard, San Diego

Park Brick Yard Company, San Diego

Sweetwater Brick Company, San Diego

Thomas Whaley, San Diego

Union Brick Company, San Diego

Vitrified Products Company, San Diego

San Francisco County

Atlas Paving Brick Company

Bay City Brick Company

J. P. Glaser

Charles Morris

George D. Nagle

San Francisco Brick Company

San Joaquin County

Carnegie Brick and Pottery Company, Carnegie

Marcus H. and William B. Merrill, Stockton

San Joaquin Brick Company, Stockton

Stockton Brick and Tile Company, Stockton

Stockton Fire and Enamel Brick Company, Stockton

Stockton Fire Brick Company, Stockton

San Luis Obispo County

Ah Louis, San Luis Obispo

San Luis Brick Company (Faulstich Bros.), San Luis Obispo

San Mateo County

Alexander Brick and Terra Cotta Company, South San Francisco

Baden Brick Company, South San Francisco

William W. Hull, San Carlos

Hunter and Shackleford, East Palo Alto

Steiger Terra Cotta and Pottery Company, South San Francisco

Santa Barbara County

Coleman Brick & Lime Company, Santa Barbara

Grant Brick & Tile Company, Santa Barbara

Milpas Street Brick Yard, Santa Barbara

Parker Brick Company, Santa Barbara

Santa Clara County

Albert Bowman and Company, Mountain View

Dreischmyer Brick Company, San Jose

Kimball Brick Company (Wheeland Brick Company), Mountain View

Mountain View Brick Yard, Mountain View

T.W. Petersen & Company, Lick Observatory

Petersen Brick Company, Mountain View

Petersen Brick Company, Mountain View

Petersen-Kartschoke, San Jose

Remillard Brick Company, San Jose yard

San Jose Brick Company, San Jose

San Jose Brick and Tile Company, San Jose

Smith and Ohm, Mountain View

Solano County

Benicia Brick Company, Benicia

Honghton and Rider, Benicia

Dennis Jordan, Mare Island

Vallejo Brick and Tile Company, Vallejo

Vallejo Hydraulic Pressed Brick Company, Vallejo

Sonoma County

California Brick and Pottery Company, Glen Ellen

Peter Malone, Glen Ellen

C. C. O'Donnell, Glen Ellen

Pure Clay Brick and Tile Company, Hilton

Tulare County

Pioneer Brick Company, Visalia

Southern Pacific Brick & Tile Company, Exeter

Ventura County

Herbert Alvaro Giddings, Ventura

Joehnck and Volkam, Oxnard

Thomas Andrew Mitchell, Ventura

Oxnard Brick Yard, Oxnard

Peoples Lumber Company, Ventura

Ventura Mill and Lumber Company, Ventura

Suggested reference for this web page using Kate L. Turabian's A Manual for Writers:

Mosier, Dan L., California Brickmakers, 2005, http://calbricks.netfirms.com/brickmakers.html (accessed put-date-here).

Copyright © 2005 Dan L. Mosier

Comments or questions are welcomed.
Please send email to Dan Mosier at danmosier@earthlink.net.