The Wicked Yard

Pictured is John Swenson and family, circa early 1900's.

For the rare business fortunate to make it so far, a 90^th year in operation is known as a Granite Anniversary. Swenson Stone Works surpassed that milestone 50 years ago this year and is still going as strong as its first quarry in Concord, New Hampshire’s Rattlesnake Hill.

What’s the secret to Swenson’s 140-year run as an industry leader? Like the salt and pepper speckles in Swenson’s signature Concord Gray granite, it took a unique blend of attributes – parts innovation, immigration, diversification, and determination to name a few. 

Topics: Granite, Natural Materials, Made in America, New England, Hardscape, Landscape Design, Woodbury Gray

When you drive along the coast of New England, you can’t help but see rows of beautiful coastal homes. With their clean, crisp elegance, and some located in historical districts that tell the story of the area, they represent a certain lifestyle and the people who love it.

Topics: Granite, Natural Materials, Coastal Inspired, New England, oceanfront, Hardscape, Landscape Design, Woodbury Gray

Your mailbox is not only a gateway to communication with the outside world; it’s also part of the overall curb appeal of your home. If you currently have an existing mailbox on a wooden, plastic, metal or concrete post, chances are, at some point, you will need to replace it due to environmental erosion to the foundation or post causing it to lean, or rotting wood weakening the structure.

A granite mailbox post provides the everlasting durability of stone pulled and cut from solid rock. It’s just a matter of setting it in place correctly.

Topics: Granite, granite posts, mailbox posts, Woodbury Gray

 

Nestled in the historic area of Norfolk County, Massachusetts sits the Swenson Granite Works Medway store. All four men on the team have a love and appreciation for natural stone, and all things New England.

Topics: Granite, New England, Massachusetts, Store Spotilght

There are many sustainable practices that manufacturers of building materials can adopt, but there is only one building material that is inherently good for the earth and good for your health — natural stone.

Topics: Granite, Natural Materials, Sustainable Design, Indiana Limestone, buy local

 

Swenson Granite Works’ Westbrook, Maine Store Manager Jeremy Walbridge has been working with the company for 27 years — over half his life. He has had family members and friends work at the company, and credits the family oriented nature of the business to his tenure.

“The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Swenson? Family. The Swenson name has a history attached to it. 133 years as a family business and I’ve seen all sides of it,” said Walbridge.

Topics: Granite, Store Spotilght, Maine

When most people think of granite veneer, they commonly associate it with heavy full bed veneer, but thin veneer is an excellent versatile alternative that can be used a number of ways for both the interior and exterior of your home.

On September 22, 2020, Swenson Granite Works debuted WOODBURY GRAY™ granite thin veneer at its South Hadley, Massachusetts store in partnership with the Homebuilders Association of Western Massachusetts Association. The Swenson Granite Works team is thrilled to add this thin veneer to the Woodbury Gray granite family of products and is excited to share the details with customers!

Topics: Granite, Events, Thin Veneer

A black and white palette is a classic, with endless design possibilities from subdued to striking. Some may think that monochrome is boring or plain, but black, white and gray—when used the right way—can bring a space to life. A hardscape project in Laconia, New Hampshire shows what can be done with monochrome design—and with granite from Swenson Granite Works.

Topics: Granite, New England, buy local

From helping a homeowner with a first-time project to overseeing a monument honoring veterans constructed in their hometown, the teams at Swenson Granite Works’ two New Hampshire retail locations in Concord and Amherst are deeply connected to their surrounding communities. It makes sense, seeing as they work with a material so closely connected to the Granite State and quarried just steps away in Concord.

Topics: Granite, New Hampshire, Store Spotilght

For the complete renovation of her mid-19th Century home in Westport, Connecticut, actress, entrepreneur and lifestyle blogger Eva Amurri wanted to stay true to its simple New England roots — both inside and out. So, just as the mom of three retained most of the original doors and hardware inside the home to blend old and new elements, the hardscape design incorporated natural stone details using granite that was quarried nearby, which seamlessly blends into the historic neighborhood’s landscape.

Topics: Granite, Patios, New England, Hardscape