In the beginning

Although it is 2011 and I am starting a blog on the Havey Quarry, I am going to begin back in 2007 when I first started working the mine so that you are able to see the transformation. Before I start there I will give you a brief history of the Havey. The quarry is actually two different properties, one side being the Berry quarry and the other the Havey quarry. It has stayed this way since mining began here. The workings have overlapped during different periods of time so looking down from a birds eye view it would appear as one continuous quarry.  

Google overhead view of the Berry-Havey mine May 2010.
Active Havey mine is SSW of the pond which is in the Berry Mine

A.R. Berry started mining feldspar in the mid 1890’s. F. L. Havey was a foreman at Mount Apatite mining for feldspar and could see Berry working his property. He must have liked what he saw because he got a lease and started mining the adjacent property around 1902. He worked it off and on until 1910 when he purchased the property. It is believed that he bought it outright in anticipation of hitting tourmaline. 1910 -1912 brought repeated pockets of high quality tourmaline, and then, for unknown reasons, he seemed to just give up on the mine and worked for feldspar in Topsham, over 20 miles away. The news of the finds were written up in newspapers all over the country.  In the mid 70’s it was worked for one year without any major finds and then lay dormant until I opened it up in 2007. The Berry has been worked from the mid 90’s on with some success over the years.

Sterrett, D. B. USGS 497

A. R. Berry feldspar and gem quarry; one and one-half miles south 48 degrees east of Minot, Maine. 
Northwest towards quarry on hill.  F. L. Havey lease on left. 
Androscoggin County, Maine.  June 1913
Note the miner's shacks on the left of the picture. The large maple is still alive, but barely. 

Sterrett, D. B. USGS 499

A.R. Berry feldspar and gem quarry looking north-northwest over F. L. Havey lease. 
Gems found in pockets in foreground.  Best feldspar in further end. 
Androscoggin County, Maine.  June 1913.      Some of these features haven't changed.