Ashley C. Riggs kept a ledger book journal from 1852-1873. The earliest entries are from Cold Spring (Stearns County), Minnesota and Watab (Benton County), Minnesota. The ledger's earliest entries record his activiites as an Indian Agent for the Winnnebago Indians for the years 1852-1853. The second portion of the ledger is Riggs' diary which documents his activities in and around Monticello, Minnesota for the years 1864-1873. Riggs was a key figure in the development of the Minnesota Territory and early Monticello, Minnesota community when he laid claim in 1854 to a piece of land on the Mississippi River. He built othe first ferry to shuttle people across the River. In 1861 he enlisted in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
View looking east of Cold Spring Granite Company's first steel plant building being erected just south of old main plant buildings. John Alexander and young son, Jack, are pictured left center.
Pete Kraemer operating one of the electric furnaces at the Cold Spring Granite company. The furnaces were used to make steel shot for use in gang saws and the polishing line. Cold Spring Granite was the only granite company to produce its own shot.
Hand polishers with pneumatic hand held polishing machines polishing stone in the main Cold Spring Granite Company plant. Three polishers are identified as: Erling Anderson (tall man in front looking sideways), Joe Fink (far right, wearing dark, dirty work clothes) and Carl Norlin (to Fink's right and wearing cleaner clothes).