I was doing some work around my home this weekend and came across an old looking brick. It is a woodmold Engineer size and is in good shape. It has "GRAVES B'HAM AL" stamped on it. Any Ideas??
The Graves Brick Company was organized by William H. Graves in the early twentieth century. A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Graves earned a law degree at the College of William and Mary, and returned to Tennessee to open a law firm. After the Civil War, he moved to Montgomery, Alabama and then relocated to Birmingham, in 1890. Graves maintained his law practice and invested in real estate. Soon, he began constructing buildings for investment and on speculation, and organized a brick company to supply materials for those projects. The City of Birmingham’s street paving program offered additional opportunities in the manufacturing of vitrified bricks. By 1901, Graves had organized the Graves Shale Brick Company. Over the following two decades, he also organized the Graves-Matthews Paving Company and the Graves-Gunster Paving Company, both with men who married his daughters. H. S. Matthews briefly served as general manager for the brick and paving businesses before moving to Florida. By 1915, the Graves Company had sold millions of bricks, both the common type for use in the construction of buildings and vitrified type for street and road construction. Eventually, Graves combined the brick and paving businesses, which he closed about 1920. By then, Graves was among the most prominent attorneys and property owners in Birmingham (Cruikshank 1920, pp. 73-75; Maloney Publishing Co. 1901, 1905; Polk Publishing Co. 1910, 1915, 1918).
My hometown, Tallahassee Fla. was originally paved with "Graves" street bricks in the early 1900's, and then covered over with asphalt in the 1950's. In 2002, the city was renovating Adams Street. They took up the asphault and bricks, repaved it with asphalt, cut grooves in it, and painted it red to look like bricks. This really confused me, and I got upset that a historical part of the city was destroyed and replaced with a fake image of the past. Fortunately I was allowed to back my truck up to the construction site and load up as many of the old brick as I could take. - Adam Reimer ThyMorningSun@aol.com
It looks like the are 4 basic styles of Graves pavers. I am assuming the different styles were made by the different companies. It would be interesting to know who made which.
i live in jacksonville florida hunderds of miles away from birmingham. i have a couple bricks in a small corner of my yard. I saw a few more and dug them up. i saw plain bricks, diamond design bricks, and bricks that said 'GRAVES B'HAM ALA' i googled it and here i am.
I was under the Atlantic Blvd Bridge ( in Jacksonville )that goes over the San Pablo River and picked up a Graves Brick such as you describe with the name impressed. I recognized it as an old brick and took it home where it now resides among my other historical oddities I have found around these parts.
Got one or two if you want them. Shipping from Central Florida is going to cost you, though, but if you want them bad enough, my email is lambs.kingdom@yahoo.com
I just bought about 200 of these bricks in Jacksonville FL. They were used on Old Dixie Hwy and on the streets of St. Augustine from the research I have done. http://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/2011/07/discovering-the-magic-city-in-americas-oldest-city.html
I just bought about 200 of these bricks in Jacksonville FL. They were used on Old Dixie Hwy and on the streets of St. Augustine from the research I have done. http://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/2011/07/discovering-the-magic-city-in-americas-oldest-city.html
Jacksonville Florida! I also have this and one imprinted with "...USTA". I was a tad uneasy before!! My entire lot is nothing but broken glass under the top soil.
GREETINGS FROM JACKSONVILLE FL I HAVE A GRAVES PAVING STONE THAT HAS GRAVES B' ALABAMA ON IT BUT THE B IS REVERSED! DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFO ON WHY THE B IS REVERSED?
greetings from Jacksonville fl I to have a graves paving stone but mine says: graves b'ham Alabama except the b is reversed does any know why the b is reversed?
We recently purchased a home built in 1930 in north Alabama just outside of Huntsville. While doing some yard work, I uncovered and dug up approximately 320 bricks stamped with raised lettering "GRAVES B'HAM ALA". No idea why they were in the yard but we may be willing to sell some.
We recently purchased a home built in 1930 in north Alabama just outside of Huntsville. While doing some yard work, I uncovered and dug up approximately 320 bricks stamped with raised lettering "GRAVES B'HAM ALA". No idea why they were in the yard but we may be willing to sell some.
Some engraved, probably presses, in my back yard after I bought mo home. Later dig up front flower bed abt 2 ft down I found a small mother load, kept some recovered with dirt on the rest. MEMPHIS TN
I found one recently in North Carolina at my Mother's home while cleaning out after she passed. Rest in Peace Mom. She used it as a door stopper all my years of growing up. She had it covered with cloth. I do not wish to sell it I just wanted to blog that a piece of history grew with me in North Carolina.
If anyone has any in decent shape, I'd love to buy one for my new Father-in-Law....who is a Graves. Just thought this would be an interesting gift and conversation piece for him. Thanks!
I have roughly 300 of these bricks and would like to purchase more that are close to the Birmingham area preferably that can be delivered or possibly picked up. Please email me at sgravesisd@gmail.com if you are local to the Birmingham area and are looking to sell these.
This info is in quite a few places online.
ReplyDeleteThe Graves Brick Company was organized by William H. Graves in the early
twentieth century. A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Graves earned a law degree
at the College of William and Mary, and returned to Tennessee to open a law
firm. After the Civil War, he moved to Montgomery, Alabama and then relocated
to Birmingham, in 1890. Graves maintained his law practice and invested in real
estate. Soon, he began constructing buildings for investment and on speculation,
and organized a brick company to supply materials for those projects.
The City of
Birmingham’s street paving program offered additional opportunities in the
manufacturing of vitrified bricks. By 1901, Graves had organized the Graves
Shale Brick Company. Over the following two decades, he also organized the
Graves-Matthews Paving Company and the Graves-Gunster Paving Company,
both with men who married his daughters. H. S. Matthews briefly served as
general manager for the brick and paving businesses before moving to Florida.
By 1915, the Graves Company had sold millions of bricks, both the common type
for use in the construction of buildings and vitrified type for street and road
construction. Eventually, Graves combined the brick and paving businesses,
which he closed about 1920. By then, Graves was among the most prominent
attorneys and property owners in Birmingham (Cruikshank 1920, pp. 73-75;
Maloney Publishing Co. 1901, 1905; Polk Publishing Co. 1910, 1915, 1918).
My hometown, Tallahassee Fla. was originally paved with "Graves" street bricks in the early 1900's, and then covered over with asphalt in the 1950's. In 2002, the city was renovating Adams Street. They took up the asphault and bricks, repaved it with asphalt, cut grooves in it, and painted it red to look like bricks. This really confused me, and I got upset that a historical part of the city was destroyed and replaced with a fake image of the past. Fortunately I was allowed to back my truck up to the construction site and load up as many of the old brick as I could take.
ReplyDelete- Adam Reimer ThyMorningSun@aol.com
i have some of these old bricks for sell anyone interested please contact me at LOCOCRAZY47@YAHOO>COM
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the are 4 basic styles of Graves pavers. I am assuming the different styles were made by the different companies. It would be interesting to know who made which.
ReplyDeleteDug up a TON in my yard over the weekend while putting a new garden. Of course, I live in Birmingham.
ReplyDeletei live in jacksonville florida hunderds of miles away from birmingham. i have a couple bricks in a small corner of my yard. I saw a few more and dug them up. i saw plain bricks, diamond design bricks, and bricks that said 'GRAVES B'HAM ALA' i googled it and here i am.
ReplyDeleteI was under the Atlantic Blvd Bridge ( in Jacksonville )that goes over the San Pablo River and picked up a Graves Brick such as you describe with the name impressed. I recognized it as an old brick and took it home where it now resides among my other historical oddities I have found around these parts.
DeleteDoes anyone still have Graves B'Ham Ala. bricks for sale? I just want one. I want the kind with bumped up lettering, not carved down in lettering.
ReplyDeleteGot one or two if you want them. Shipping from Central Florida is going to cost you, though, but if you want them bad enough, my email is lambs.kingdom@yahoo.com
DeleteI have over 30 of them Nessaprettynpaid@gmail.com
DeleteIf you live in Florida, you should be able to find alot. Old Dixie highway was nothing but these bricks.
ReplyDeleteI just bought about 200 of these bricks in Jacksonville FL. They were used on Old Dixie Hwy and on the streets of St. Augustine from the research I have done.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/2011/07/discovering-the-magic-city-in-americas-oldest-city.html
Roll Tide!
I just bought about 200 of these bricks in Jacksonville FL. They were used on Old Dixie Hwy and on the streets of St. Augustine from the research I have done.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/2011/07/discovering-the-magic-city-in-americas-oldest-city.html
Roll Tide!
I found on after we tore own an old BBQ pit. this May 1017 ... Dothan al.
ReplyDeleteJacksonville Florida! I also have this and one imprinted with "...USTA". I was a tad uneasy before!! My entire lot is nothing but broken glass under the top soil.
ReplyDeleteGREETINGS FROM JACKSONVILLE FL
ReplyDeleteI HAVE A GRAVES PAVING STONE THAT HAS
GRAVES
B' ALABAMA
ON IT BUT THE B IS REVERSED!
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFO ON WHY THE B IS REVERSED?
greetings from Jacksonville fl
ReplyDeleteI to have a graves paving stone but mine says:
graves
b'ham Alabama
except the b is reversed
does any know why the b is reversed?
The person making it that day had some fun. Bet it’s worth a bit more than the rest
DeleteJust found one on a building site here in Richmond Virginia
ReplyDeleteJust found one on a building site here in Richmond Virginia
ReplyDeleteWould love to have one of these bricks if anyone has one to spare! I love history and historical items, especially pertinent to where I am living.
ReplyDeleteWould love one of these for my kitchen backsplash. Although I live in CA, my kids go to Alabama. Roll Tide!
ReplyDeleteI have a bunch of these bricks..we are doing a sewer project and are cutting through central ave in st Pete Florida..they are heavy!
DeleteWould love one of these bricks for my kitchen backsplash. Although I live in California, my kids go to the University of Alabama. Roll Tide!
ReplyDeleteI found one while tearing a old garage on the back of my property in knoxville tennessee
ReplyDeleteWould you be willing to sell it?
DeleteMonique..I have many of them..find me on facebook.inwork for a utility contractor and we have a project that is unearthed many.
DeleteCould you contact me at moniquehoward@hotmail.com?
DeleteI would be happy to send a prepaid shipping tag.
I found one on my property in knoxville tennessee
ReplyDeleteI have about 100 Graves BHam AL. Let me know if you are interested
ReplyDeletePlease contact me at moniquehoward@hotmail.com.
DeleteI just want one or two, and I am happy to send a prepaid shipping invoice. Thanks!!!
Did you ever get one?
DeleteBobby, I am interested! Please email me at alexis.brouse@gmail.com. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Bobby, I am also interested in the Graves brick pavers. Please contact me via email bellsans@hotmail.com or bellsans2806@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteWe recently purchased a home built in 1930 in north Alabama just outside of Huntsville. While doing some yard work, I uncovered and dug up approximately 320 bricks stamped with raised lettering "GRAVES B'HAM ALA". No idea why they were in the yard but we may be willing to sell some.
ReplyDeleteWe recently purchased a home built in 1930 in north Alabama just outside of Huntsville. While doing some yard work, I uncovered and dug up approximately 320 bricks stamped with raised lettering "GRAVES B'HAM ALA". No idea why they were in the yard but we may be willing to sell some.
ReplyDeleteSome engraved, probably presses, in my back yard after I bought mo home. Later dig up front flower bed abt 2 ft down I found a small mother load, kept some recovered with dirt on the rest.
ReplyDeleteMEMPHIS TN
I found one recently in North Carolina at my Mother's home while cleaning out after she passed. Rest in Peace Mom. She used it as a door stopper all my years of growing up. She had it covered with cloth. I do not wish to sell it I just wanted to blog that a piece of history grew with me in North Carolina.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone has any in decent shape, I'd love to buy one for my new Father-in-Law....who is a Graves. Just thought this would be an interesting gift and conversation piece for him. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWhat's one worth n good shape?
DeleteHi! I have a few in great shape if you would like one. Contact me at jackie0081@yahoo.com!
DeleteHave 30 or so from a old airforce base in Deland fla.Some are in perfect condition. What's one worth?
ReplyDeleteI have roughly 300 of these bricks and would like to purchase more that are close to the Birmingham area preferably that can be delivered or possibly picked up. Please email me at sgravesisd@gmail.com if you are local to the Birmingham area and are looking to sell these.
ReplyDelete$16.99 on Amazon believe it or not.
ReplyDelete