Originally known as “Waltersville”, the village was renamed Granite in recognition of its principal product, Woodstock Quartz Monzonite, which was quarried here.
Although only 1 mile in length, during its peak in the late 19th century, Granite provided building materials for major projects throughout the eastern seaboard and become known as the center of granite industry.
Granite from the Waltersville and Fox Rock quarries was utilized in construction of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in the 1830s, and later in such projects as the Library of Congress, old Treasury Building, and parts of the inner walls of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.; the old Post Office, Courthouse, Custom House, Polytechnic Institute, and monument to the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution in Baltimore.
In addition to the granite quarries, the Nike Missile Base BA-79 was located in Granite. It was active from 1954 to 1974.
As a recognition of the village’s significance, the National Park Service designated Granite a National Register Historic District in 1994.
