In April 1908, capitalists from Detroit, Cincinnati, and Columbus traveled to Vinton County to survey the land for a proposed industry. A location outside of Hamden was chosen and nearly 1000 acres of land was purchased. With William L. Holmes as President, the Puritan Brick Company was formed.

Construction of the Puritan Brick Plant began in September 1908, and it was completed in the Fall of 1909. Puritan was the largest brick operation in all of southern Ohio. It was also the most extensive industry ever conducted within Vinton County. The plant was able to manufacture roughly 66,000 paving bricks on a daily basis, or roughly 100,000 face bricks on a daily basis. High grades of shale were practically limitless on the property. Rich deposits of coal were excavated at the Puritan Mines to fuel the operation.

A 2 mile stretch of line, known as the Puritan Railway, connected the village of Puritan to the main line. The bricks were transported into Hamden on large carts powered by an electric locomotive.