Basalt Rock Company

USS Grasp (ARS-24) built by Basalt Rock Company in 1944

Basalt Rock Company was a multifaceted industrial operation that was founded in 1920. The company started as a rock quarrying operation located a few miles south of Napa, California near Rocktram adjacent to the Napa River. It later branched out into the ship building business in 1941 when it started building ships for the U.S. Navy for use during World War II.[1][2][3] Following the war, the plant built 30 miles of pipe for the City of Napa's pipeline from Lake Hennessey.

In 1950, the company took title of a cement plant formerly owned by Standard Portland Cement Company in what is now American Canyon, California. The cement plant remained in operation until 1978.[4] As of 2001, the city was evaluating the plant for future use.[5]

  1. ^ Courtney, Kevin (February 11, 2008). "One man's journey to save Napa-made warship". Napa Valley Register. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  2. ^ "Basalt Rock Company, Napa CA". Archived from the original on October 10, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  3. ^ Courtney, Kevin (October 17, 2004). "Napa Pipe plant loads its final rail car". Napa Valley Register. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  4. ^ Luippold, Linda (April 26, 2005). "Cast in cement: American Canyon's industrial past". American Canyon Eagle. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  5. ^ Waterson, Michael (October 6, 2011). "American Canyon OKs study to save silos, ruins". American Canyon Eagle. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved October 6, 2011.