Rocklin

The  town of Rocklin gets its namesake from its most important export - granite. It started in the 1850s as a gold mining operation at Secret Ravine (the dredger tailings can still be seen piled up near highway 80 between Roseville and Rocklin Road). Mining for gold was short-lived, but mining for granite became the area’s chief industry. The town was incorporated in 1893 and became the home of Irish, Finnish, Spanish and Italian immigrants who manned the mines. By 1904 there were fifteen operational quarries. The granite coming from Rocking and nearby Penryn helped build the west during the post-gold rush boom and can be found in the state’s most notable buildings.

The last operational quarry, Big Gun Quarry, ceased operation in 2004. It’s now the site of a park, an events center and adventure park. You can still visit many of the old quarry sites on one of Rocklin’s many history tours.