Historic Richmond bricks free to good home

Brickyard Landing Owners Association will offer historic Richmond-made bricks to Richmond non-profits and civic organizations at an event slated for January.

The bricks are what's left of the historic chimney and kiln, which were once part of the Richmond Pressed Brick Company, which had to be demolished for safety reasons.

Founded in the early 1900s, the Richmond Pressed Brick Company, a Los Angeles Brick Company subsidiary, chose to set up shop in Richmond because of the city's proximity to a port near San Francisco and easy access to pure clay, which was abundant in the area.

In 1907, 30,000 bricks per day were produced in Richmond, and by 1921, the burgeoning manufacturer was no longer a subsidiary but had become its own company. The bricks were used in many Bay Area buildings, and according to the Historical Marker Database, they were also used in Standard Oil’s first California refinery.

"Richmond Reds were bricks made of clay dug from a nearby hill and turned red baking in the kilns. Shipped by railroad or barged from a small wharf built in the cove, "reds" were used to construct many Bay Area buildings, including San Francisco's Palace Hotel and parts of Standard Oil's first California refinery," The Historical Marker Database says.

Eventually, the development of modern building materials led to the demise of local brickyards, and the utilization of bricks became obsolete.

Steven Paskowitz, Vice President of the Brickyard Landing Homeowners Association, said the bricks will be made available at an event in January for those who are interested.

"The Richmond Historic Commission required us to store the bricks and provide them to Richmond non-profits and civic organizations," Paskowitz said. "We are planning an event in January to make the bricks available."

The bricks are stamped "Richmond," with many that are whole, in good condition, and suitable for display or decoration.

Richmond civic organizations can contact office@brickyardlanding.org to make special arrangements.

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