Redgranite Quarry, Redgranite Wisconsin
“Promise me you will never go near that quarry” my mom implored me and my siblings. It was the mid-90s and we had just moved to Wautoma, Wisconsin about seven miles west on State Highway 21. The Redgranite quarry was notorious for drownings and so, as an anxious teen, I largely avoided it. That’s not to say I never swam there, I most certainly did, but I was always cautious.
Fast forward thirty years and today I took my own kids to explore the quarry. The city of Redgranite had closed it down recently due to bad behavior; vandalism, drinking, drug use, and safety concerns; there were three drowning deaths in 2015 alone. I thought maybe we’d be able to catch a glimpse from the road, so we were surprised to find it was open to visitors today.
The quarry was active from the 1880s through the 1920s and provided stone for paving streets as far away as Chicago. Eventually people moved away from granite to cheaper materials like concrete so the quarry was abandoned. In fact, mining equipment remains 160 feet below the surface at the bottom. Locals told us you can see cranes below the surface if you know where to look. The abandoned granite box filled up with rainwater and with no sediment or muck to contend with, the water maintains a crystalline blue clarity making it a popular regional destination for scuba divers.
It has also been stocked with fish. We saw the biggest bass I have ever seen stalking along the granite wall. “We have 6 foot albino catfish”, one of the volunteers mentioned when we were paying our entrance fee, “scared some divers that were here”. We were told there are also trout.
The city of Redgranite is still trying to figure out how to let the public enjoy this place safely. The people manning the entrance today were all volunteers hoping to raise funds for maintenance and care of the space. Yellow caution tape encircled the entire property. One idea they mentioned would be to require an entrance fee. Staffing is also an issue. There are no lifeguards if a swimmer were to have an issue. People unfamiliar with the landscape could be challenged in finding a way out of the water as the rock can be steep and slippery when wet.
Still, there were families enjoying the water and sunning on the rocks. There aren’t easy answers here. The quarry has been enjoyed for generations and while there are many lakes nearby there aren’t public beaches or pools for people here. Plus with the beautiful granite cliffs topped with towering pines reflecting off the crystal blue water the quarry is simply beautiful.
As we wrapped up our hike we came to the main highway in town and stumbled upon a coffee shop called Dauntless Soul Coffee where we enjoyed some cookies and lotus lemonade.
Here’s to hoping they can find a way for the public to be able to safely enjoy the quarry.
