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Home > Indiana > Structures and Monuments in Which Indiana Stone was Used
Finished Products from Indiana Stone in Alabama
“The building occupies a full city block flanked by Dexter Avenue (west), McDonough Street (north), Washington Street (east), and Hull Street (south)…The exterior is faced with natural Indiana limestone…The interior public spaces are finished in Carrara marbles from Italy….”
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the U. S. Court House and Post Office in Birmingham, Alabama.
Finished Products from Indiana Stone in Alaska
The building has brick-faced reinforced concrete. Indiana limestone was used for the lower façade, and the four columns at the portico and the interior trim are of marble quarried in southeastern Alaska. These marbles are light and dark Tokeen marbles quarried at Tokeen, Prince of Wales Island. The construction of the building began in September 1929 and was completed in February 1931.
Finished Products from Indiana Stone in Arizona
Warren, Arizona - the Donald W. Reynolds YMCA Limestone Sign
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the YMCA sign. Photographs of the sign are included in the “Custom Sign Work” section of the company’s web site.
Finished Products from Indiana Stone in California
According to an excerpt from this book, Indiana limestone was used in the construction façade of the mansion and the garden room walls.
According to this excerpt, Indiana limestone was used for the façade of the building.
According to an excerpt from this book, a pavilion was completed in Village Homes in which Indiana limestone and wood were used in the construction.
According to this excerpt, the church was designed in the Spanish Revival style, and Indiana limestone was used for the screen which dominates the entrance.
St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church (photograph and description)
San Francisco, San Francisco County, California - the San Francisco City Hall - “San Francisco City Hall Dome Statistics,” web site presented by Ceitronics.
According to this web site, the San Francisco City Hall was designed in the Beaux Arts style, and it opened in 1916. The following stones are used in the interior of the City Hall according to this account: California marble and Indiana sandstone. The exterior of the City Hall building of Raymond Granite (quarried at Raymond, Madera County, California). “There are three acres of marble tile floors.”
Finished Products from Indiana Stone in Colorado
Boulder, Colorado - the Boulder Museum of History previously the Victorian Harbeck-Bergheim House on University Hill, 1206 Euclid Avenue, information from the wcities.com web site. (photograph and history)
According to the wcities.com web site, Indiana sandstone was used in the construction of the exterior of manor.
The chapel is constructed of Indiana limestone.
Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the building located at 1999 Broadway.
According to the Molly Brown House Museum web site, Indiana limestone was used on the exterior of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Italian Carrara marble was used for the carved altars, and “Colorado Yule marble makes up the vestibules, pillar bass, balustrades, baseboards, and confessionals.” Construction was completed in 1912.
According to the Molly Brown House Museum web site, Indiana limestone was used on the exterior of St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral.
Greeley, Colorado – the Weld County Court House (The following information is from an advertisement in Stone: An Illustrated Magazine, Vol. XLVI, No. 3, March, 1925, Stone Publishing Co., New York, pp. 130.)
The Weld County Court House was built with Indiana Limestone furnished by Shea & Donnelly Company (established in 1889), whose quarries, mills, and offices were in Bedford, Indiana.
Finished Products from Indiana Stone in Connecticut
The building was constructed of Indiana Limestone.
Finished Products from Indiana Stone in Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware - Nemours Mansion owned by Alfred I. duPont (from Millionaires, Mansions, and Motor Yachts: An Era of Opulence, by Ross MacTaggart, W. W. Norton & Company, Oct. 1, 2004, 256 pp., ISBN 0393057623, from Google Book Search)
According to this excerpt, Nemours Mansion was designed by Carrère and Hastings, a New York firm, for Alfred I. duPont. It was constructed in 1909-1910. Granite quarried on the estate was used in the construction of the mansion in addition to Indiana limestone for trim. (Photographs of the mansion are included.)
Finished Products from Indiana Stone in Florida
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Navarre Beach Campground sign. Photographs of the sign are included in the “Custom Sign Work” section of the company’s web site.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the U. S. Courthouse and Post Office in Tallahassee, Florida.
Finished Products from Indiana Stone in Georgia
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the State Capital.
Finished Products from Indiana Stone in Idaho
Moscow, Idaho - University of Idaho - the Infirmary located at University Avenue and Ash Street. The following information is from the University of Idaho Special Collections web site.
Indiana limestone was used for the trim on the building.
Finished Products from Indiana Stone in Illinois
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the C.B. & Q. Railroad Bridge across the Mississippi River at Alton, Illinois.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Court House at Bloomington, Illinois.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Ft. Jesse Medical Center. A photographs of the center is included in Photo Gallery 2 of the company’s web site.
The Courthouse was build in 1908. White limestone from Bedford, Indiana, was used on the exterior. Tennessee marble was used on the interior walls.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building St. John’s Church. Photographs of the church are included in Photo Gallery 3 of the company’s web site.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Volition building at One Main Plaza. Photographs of the building are included in Photo Gallery 2 of the company’s web site.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building Blair Hall. Photographs of the Blair Hall are included in Photo Gallery 1 of the company’s web site.
On this web site it is theorized that the bottom four stories of the Art Deco building are faced with what could be Cold Spring, Minnesota, “granite.” The same stone was used on the Adler Planetarium. The stories above the fourth story are faced with Bedford Limestone. (Scroll down to “Chicago Caves and Canyons,” then “333 North Michigan Avenue” for more information.)
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the A.H. Revell & Company building.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the residence of A. V. Armour on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Art Museum built prior to 1900.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Auditorium Hotel.
According to this excerpt, the walls of the building are of solid masonry - brick covered with stone. The lower 3 floors were faced with granite, and the remaining floors ashlar facing was of gray-buff Indiana limestone.
Auditorium Hotel (photographs and history), presented by Chicago Landmarks.
According to this web site, the Auditorium Hotel was designed by Louis H. Sullivan and engineered by Dankmar Adler. The hotel was built 1886-90.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Auditorium Hotel Annex.
According to the excerpt of this book, the breakwater along the lake was built with slabs of yellow Indiana limestone.
Chicago, Illinois – the Chicago Racquet Club (The following information is from an advertisement in Stone: An Illustrated Magazine, Vol. XLVI, No. 3, March, 1925, “Old Styles in Stone,” Stone Publishing Co., New York, pp. 156.)
Chicago Racquet Club, Chicago, Awarded Medal by the Architect’s Association of Chicago for the Best or Most Interesting Design from an Architectural Viewpoint Erected During 1924. Exterior of Brick in Combination with Indiana Limestone. Architects: Rebori, Wentworth, Dewey & McCormick.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the residence of William Borden located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois.
Cairo, Illinois – the Cairo Bridge, Ohio River (pre-1900) (from A Glimpse of the Celebrated Stone Quarries at Bedford, Indiana.)
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Cairo Bridge on the Ohio River
Chicago, Illinois – the Chicago & Erie Bridges, all Piers at the Street Crossings under the Elevated Tracks of the Illinois Central Railroad (pre-1900) (from A Glimpse of the Celebrated Stone Quarries at Bedford, Indiana.)
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Chicago & Erie bridges and all of the piers at the street crossings under the elevated tracks of the Illinois Central Railroad.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Chicago University building.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Chicago City Hall.
Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the Commonwealth-Edison Company Switching Station.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the County Jail in Chicago, Illinois.
Fourth Presbyterian Church and Parish House (1912, 1925) “…Gothic Revival buildings which were built from grey Indiana limestone….” (Scroll down to “Chicago Caves and Canyons,” then “Fourth Presbyterian Church and Parish House” for more information.)
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the residence of Mrs. Fuller on Michigan Avenue in Chicago.
Chicago, Illinois - the George Cleveland Hall Library, located 48 th Street and South Michigan Avenue. (from Richard Wright: The Life and Times, by Hazel Rowley, Owl Books, Aug. 1, 2002, 640 pp., ISBN 0805070885, pp. 70, excerpt from Google Book Search)
According to this excerpt, Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the library building, which was designed in the Italianate Renaissance style.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the residence of William J. Goudy on Astor Street in Chicago.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Illinois Central Railroad Company depot.
The Intercontinental Hotel was originally the Medinah Athletic Club. In the 1980s the building was converted to a hotel. Indiana limestone was used as facing in the construction of the upper part of the building. (Scroll down to “Chicago Caves and Canyons,” then “Intercontinental Hotel” for more information.)
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the James H. Walker building.
Chicago, Illinois – Jewish Synagogue at Fiftieth Street and Drexel Boulevard (The following information is from an advertisement in Stone: An Illustrated Magazine, Vol. XLVI, No. 3, March, 1925, Stone Publishing Co., New York, pp. 166.)
New Jewish Synagogue, Fiftieth St. and Drexel Boulevard, Chicago. Exterior of Variegated Indiana Limestone. Architects: Newhouse & Bernham.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the residence of W. W. Kimball located at Prairie Avenue and 18th Street.
Chicago, Illinois - Lakeshore Drive Wall from Geology and the Environment With Infotrac, by Bernard W. Pipkin, Dee D. Trent, and Richard Hazlett, Thomson Brooks/Cole, March 30, 2004, 496 pp., ISBN 0534490514, pp. 152, excerpt from Google Book Search)
According to this excerpt, the rock wall that protects Chicago’s Lakeshore Drive was constructed of Indiana limestone.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Lakeside Club located on Grand Boulevard in Chicago.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Lincoln Museum.
Chicago, Illinois - the London Guarantee and Accident Building, 360 North Michigan Avenue, from Pocket Guide to Chicago Architecture, by Judith Paine McBrien, W. W. Norton & Company, Oct. 1, 2004, 176 pp., ISBN 0393731553, pp. 32, excerpt from Google Book Search)
According to this excerpt, Alfred Alschuler designed the 22-story London Guarantee and Accident building. Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the building. (A sketch of the building is included.)
Chicago, Illinois - the Malabry Court Buildings, North Michigan Avenue (excerpt from Chicago’s North Michigan Avenue: Planning and Development, 1900-1930, by John W. Stamper, University of Chicago Press, Aug. 27, 1991, 344 pp., ISBN 0226770850, from Google Book Search)
According to the excerpt of this above, Indiana limestone was used for the façade of the building.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the residence of Jonathan Mason Loomis located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago.
Built between 1918 and 1920, the Michigan Avenue Bridge is a “double-leaf trunion bascule bridge.” There are sculptured pieces and plaques on the bridge towers commemorating events in Chicago history. Bedford limestone was used in the construction of the bridge piers, and the limestone contains “silicified sponges, bryozoa, gastropods, ammonoids and other fossils.” (Scroll down to “Chicago Caves and Canyons,” then “Michigan Avenue Bridge” for more information.)
Visit the Chicago Landmarks web site to view two photographs of the Michigan Avenue Bridge and Esplanade: Photo 1 and Photo 2.
The Museum of Science and Industry is now located in the restored Palace of Fine Arts Building. This building was reconstructed of limestone and marble.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Odd Fellows' building.
Chicago, Illinois – the Potter Palmer Residence on Lake Shore Drive (pre-1900) (from A Glimpse of the Celebrated Stone Quarries at Bedford, Indiana.)
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the residence of Potter Palmer located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago.
Chicago, Illinois - the Playboy Building (formerly the Palmolive Building) (Stone Country, in the “Works” section, text by Scott R. Sanders and photographs by Jeffrey A. Wolin, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1985)
According to the author, Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the Palmolive building, in 1985 known as the Playboy building.
Chicago, Illinois - the Powhatan Building, 4950 South Chicago Beach Drive (from A Guide to Chicago’s Murals, by Mary Lackritz Gray, University of Chicago Press, April 1, 2001, 520 pp., ISBN 226305996, pp. 172, excerpt from Google Book Search)
According to the excerpt from this book, the twenty-two story Powhatan Building built in 1927-1929 is clad in Indiana limestone and terra cotta.
The original Bedford, Indiana, limestone facade is being replaced with granite due to weathering and potential for failure due to weathering. (Scroll down to “Chicago Caves and Canyons,” then “Prudential Buildings” for more information.)
Chicago, Illinois – Public Library Building (pre-1900) (from A Glimpse of the Celebrated Stone Quarries at Bedford, Indiana.)
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Public Library building in Chicago built prior to 1900.
According to the author, Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the Public Library in Chicago.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Ryerson building.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Saint Joseph Hotel.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Security building in Chicago.
Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the Simmons-Gill House.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Standard Club.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Studebaker building.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Temple in Chicago.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Title Guarantee & Trust Company building.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the residence of Joseph Torrence located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago.
Chicago, Illinois – the Tribune Tower (photograph)
The Tribune Tower is a Gothic revival building “with great flying
buttresses.” It is faced with Indiana limestone.
The tower “has a base inset with stones from famous structures
throughout the world, such as Westminster Abbey, the Taj Mahal, and
the Great Wall of China.” (The link from which the above information was obtained is no longer available.)
<http://www.metromix.com/top/1,1419,M-Metromix-Home-freepagesquarry!ArticleDetail-4444,00.html>
Tales of the Stones (in the Tribune Tower). This
site lists the origin of the 136 stones placed in the exterior
of the Tribune Tower from all around the world. (The link
from which the following information was obtained is no longer
available.)
<http://www.metromix.com/top/1,1419,M-Metromix-Community-redirect!ArticleDetail-4444,00.html>
The Chicago Tribune Tower Competition, by Katherine Solomonson, University of Chicago Press, Nov 1, 2003, 384 pp., ISBN0226768007, from Google Book Search)
According to an excerpt from this book, Howell’s and Hood specified Indiana limestone be used for the exterior of the Chicago Tribune Tower “in shades of gray.” The limestone was supplied by J. Hoadley and Sons Company of Bloomington, Indiana, and Archer Stone Setting Company cut the stone.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the residence of L. Wolf located on Washington Boulevard in Chicago.
According to the author, Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the colonnade at Union Station in Chicago.
Chicago, Illinois - the University of Chicago - Original College Buildings, from “Fall Foliage, in Chicago, University of Chicago, October 30, 2004. (The link from which the following information was obtained is no longer available.)
<http://phoenix.uchicago.edu/campusfeature/index.aspx?featureid=30>
According to this article, the buildings constructed for the university, founded in 1892, were constructed from Indiana limestone. They were designed in the neo-gothic style.
Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the Crerar Science Library at the University of Chicago.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Jackson & Southeastern Bridge.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Batchen Hotel located opposite the Wisconsin Central Depot in Illinois.
The Ottawa Street Methodist Church was built in 1909. It is constructed of brick and trimmed with Bedford, Indiana, limestone.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Otto Baum Company office building. Photographs of the building are included in Photo Gallery 1 of the company’s web site.
Normal, Illinois - Illinois State University
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Schroeder Hall. Photographs of the building are included in Photo Gallery 2 of the company’s web site.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Redbirds Stadium. Photographs of the stadium are included in Photo Gallery 2 of the company’s web site.
“The corn crop in the vicinity of Paxton, Ill., never was more promising than at the present time, said Mr. N. Groetzinger, of Groetzinger & Fitzsimmons of that place, while in Chicago last month. Mr. Groetzinger embarked in the monumental business at Paxton less than two years ago and is establishing a very successful trade in monumental and building work. The firm has just completed a contract for about 5000 feet of stone flagging in the business part of the town. The sidewalk is sixteen feet wide and is laid in Bedford flags 8-ox5-oxo-4 sawed on two sides. The walks are a credit to the town and to the contractors and are proving to be of mutual benefit to all concerned.”
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Caterpillar Headquarters sign. Photographs of the sign are included in the “Custom Sign Work” section of the company’s web site.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Court House constructed prior to 1900 in Peoria, Illinois.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the some of the public buildings in Quincy, Illinois.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of two school houses prior to 1900 in Rock Island, Illinois.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Second Congregational Church.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Cunningham Children’s Home. Photographs of the building are included in Photo Gallery 2 of the company’s web site.
The Salem Limestone used in the construction of the building came from a Bloomington Limestone Company quarry near Bloomington in south-central Indiana. The limestone is marketed under the trade names of “Indiana Limestone” and Bedford Limestone. The limestone has been quarried in Indiana since “at least 1827, and was quarried between Bloomington and Bedford, Indiana. While the limestone is used extensively in construction of American buildings, it is used “particularly in the Midwest.”
By visiting the links below, you will find a great deal of information about the stone used in the construction of the Natural Resources Buildings in addition to many photographs. Below are short summaries of some of the information available about the building stone used in the Natural Resources building.
According to this web site, the greenish gray slate that covers the roof was "..quarried from the Maine and western Vermont slate belt by the Rising and Nelson Slate Company of West Pawlett, Vermont…"
The stairs at the east exterior entrance are constructed of granite "…(s)upplied by the Cold Springs Granite Company of Cold Springs, Minnesota, the rock is probably from the Warman area, Kanabec County, in east-central Minnesota…."
The pair of large balls on the platform in front of the building and the building trim are constructed of limestone quarried near Bloomington in south-central Indiana. The Bedford Limestone "…it is marketed under the trade names Indiana Limestone and Bedford Limestone. An excellent building stone due to its durability, attractiveness, and economy, the Salem Limestone has been quarried in Indiana since at least 1827. It is standard construction material in American buildings, particularly in the Midwest."
The exterior door trim at the east exterior entrance is
another limestone called the Ozark Tavernelle Marble. This limestone
was "…supplied by the Carthage Marble Corporation of
Carthage, southwestern Missouri. The stone industry gives the
name Ozark Tavernelle Marble to limestones that take a high polish
and to marbles - the white and varicolored metamorphic carbonate
rocks used to make gravestones, statues, and buildings. Tavernelle
is an old building stone term that means spotted or mottled."
"Ozark Tavernelle, cut from a 2- to 3-foot thick bed in Carthage
Quarry, is the lowest of the three beds that supplied cut stone
for the Natural Resources Building. All three beds are part of
the Warsaw Formation of Mississippian age."
The (f)loor and stairs at the east interior entrance are constructed of "…brown to dark brown limestone that contains very light brown speckles is Nerobi Marble. It came from a bed in the Warsaw Formation at Carthage quarry. Nerobi Marble occurs above the Ozark Tavernelle and Ozark Veined beds…."
The lower wall veneer, pillar, and baseboard are constructed that appears as "…light grayish brown mottles is Dark Plattin Marble. This Ordovician-age stone, supplied by Carthage Marble Company, was probably extracted from a quarry near Batesville in north-central Arkansas. The geologic name of the stone is the Plattin Limestone…."
The hall, walls, door frames are constructed of "…blocks of mottled, light yellowish gray stone are cut from dolomite, a rock native to Illinois. It was quarried and finished in Joliet by the Adam Groth Stone Company. In that area the dolomite was called Joliet Marble. A few miles north, near Lemont, which was once known as Athens, the same dolomite was called Athens Marble. The stone comes from the Sugar Run Formation of Silurian age (438 to 408 million years old)."
The rest room partitions and wall veneer are constructed of "…polished limestone panels are Ozark Veined Marble from the Carthage Marble Corporation Quarry in Missouri. The light gray and light olive gray limestone contains wispy, dark gray figures. It comes from the same quarry ledge as the Ozark Tavernelle stone. The veined rock comprises about the upper three-fourths of the ledge and the Tavernelle the lower one-fourth…."
NCSA Building
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the NCSA building. Photographs of the building are included in Photo Gallery 2 of the company’s web site.
Finished Products from Indiana Stone in Indiana
Indiana & Elsewhere - Tombstones created from Whetstone quarried in Orange County, Indiana, article by the Indiana Geological Survey on the Indiana University web site. (The following quotation is used with permission of the Indiana Geological Survey. The article can be read in its entirety at the link below.)
The following is from a news release by Hal S. Kibbey, Indiana University News Bureau, updated by Richard L. Powell, Indiana Geological Survey, a research affiliate and retired geologist.
Indiana Geological Survey Asks For Helpfrom Hoosier Residents in Locating Tombstones
“BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana Geological Survey (IGS) is asking for help from Hoosier residents in a statewide project to locate gravestones made of whetstone. In the pre-Civil War era, Indiana’s whetstone-quarrying district in Orange County produced commercial-grade gravestones. These whetstones were one of Indiana's first commercial products, but the tombstone industry was largely unknown until IGS geologists were requested by an archaeologist to identify the rock which was used to make tombstones found in Albion, Ill.
“In the 1800s, Indiana was a major producer of whetstones, which were stones used to sharpen a variety of implements. This mining industry was centered in Orange County, where well-sorted, uniformly cemented siltstone is common. At the peak of the industry in the late 1800s, annual production was about 300,000 pounds, and it was once stated that ‘a Hoosier household without an Indiana whetstone was no Hoosier Household at all.’
“Most commercial whetstones produced were transported from the quarries in ox-drawn wagons to White River or Lost River. Flatboats, keelboats or barges then floated the stones down these rivers and eventually to the Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi rivers. In some cases they were shipped on to New Orleans and overseas from there. Production persisted into the late 1980s, when the last quarry closed.
“‘The stones are characterized by a distinctive layering, which allows for easy identification of their origin in Orange County, unlike most other stones used during this period,’ said former IGS geologist Erik Kvale.
“‘Geological investigations have shown that these whetstone beds were deposited on an ancient silty tidal flat and that the thickness of each siltstone layer can be directly equated to the daily, and sometimes semi-daily, rise and fall of ancient tides on that tidal flat,’ Kvale said. ‘These ancient recordings are so exact that it is possible to determine, among other things, the phase of the moon during the time the layers were deposited. So significant is this discovery that these Indiana deposits are now known internationally in the geological community.’
“Strata seen in the Orange County whetstone quarries are the same as the whetstone headstones found in many cemeteries in the region. They are composed of finely layered siltstone, with the thickness of each layer measured in millimeters. What is unique about these deposits is the organization of the layers into couplets consisting of a thick layer and a thinner layer. These couplets show a cycle of progressive thickening and thinning.
“‘This pattern of progressive thickening and thinning of the layers is absolutely diagnostic of the whetstone beds and allows us to positively identify this stone when we find it in cemeteries,’ Kvale said.
“Erik Kvale, Richard Powell, geologist and IGS research affiliate, and Michael McNerney, an archaeologist from Illinois, attempted to map the distribution of these gravestones. They were initially assisted by a grant from the Indiana Historical Society.
“Whetstone gravestones are among the oldest preserved in the southern part of the state, and the graves of several historically important Hoosiers from the early 1800s, such as Col. Francis Vigo and Robert Buntin, are marked with these monuments.
“‘Despite the age of these stones, most of the whetstone gravestones are so durable that the lettering and scroll work look as though they were carved yesterday rather than 150 to 180 years ago,’ Kvale said.
“More than 1800 whetstone grave markers have been found in just over 200 pioneer cemeteries in southwestern Indiana and southeastern Illinois along the Wabash River. About 1,000 cemeteries have been examined to date. The distribution of these gravestones is not completely known, but they may be present along the lower Ohio and Mississippi rivers and parallel the other commercial trade routes of early Indiana, such as the Wabash-Erie Canal network and the National and Michigan roads.
“More than 90 of the grave markers were signed by the engraver or dealer. About 70 other markers have been attributed to a few engravers owing to their particular lettering styles. The lettering is similar to fonts used by newspapers, books and handbills prior to the pre-Civil War era.”
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Court House in Bedford, Indiana.
Bedford, Indiana - the Indiana Limestone Company, Inc. - Home Office Building (information from colorized postcard photograph; Curteich; early-mid-1900s; unmailed)
The Indiana Limestone Company, Inc., home office building is constructed of Indiana limestone.
Bedford, Indiana - the Indiana Limestone Company, Inc. - Home Office Building (information from colorized postcard; Curteich; early-mid-1900s)
The Indiana Limestone Company, Inc., home office building is constructed of Indiana limestone.
Bedford, Indiana - the Indiana Limestone Company Building, 405 I Street, from National Register of Historic Places 1966 to 1994, by the National Park Service, National Trust for Historic Preservation The Preservation Press, Historic Preservation Officers National Conference of State, John Wiley and Sons, June 29, 1995, 926 pp., ISBN 0471144037, pp. 207, excerpt from Google Book Search)
According to this book, the Indiana Limestone Company Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places December 21, 1993.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Indiana Monument and Cut Stone sign. Photographs of the sign are included in the “Custom Sign Work” section of the company’s web site.
New Madden School, Bedford, Indiana, of Variegated Indiana Limestone furnished by W. McMillan & Son. Bedford Cut Stone Company, cut stone contractors. Architects: Elmer E. Dunlap Company.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Network America sign. Photographs of the sign are included in the “Custom Sign Work” section of the company’s web site.
“Sandstone quarries have also been opened by Mr. Hamlin, on section 25, town 7, range 4, and at Mrs. Faucett’s, on Plummer’s creek, on section 4, town 6 range 4.
“The stone at the latter quarry is moderately fine-grained, has a cream color, can readily be split to any required thickness, and is mined on large slabs from six to thirty inches thick. Stone from Hamlin’s quarry is used in Bloomfield for foundations to buildings, door-steps, door and window lintels and sills, chimneys, copings, etc., etc. In quality and in color it is similar to the stone at Mrs. Faucett’s quarry.”*
(* The color noted for the stone quarried from Mrs. Faucett’s quarry was described as, “...a fine-grained, brownish-gray sandstone, with small specks of protoxide of iron...”)
Bowman Residence, Bloomington, Ind. A two-family, or Duplex House, showing the Adaptability of Short-length Indiana Limestone for residential and small apartment exterior ashlar.
According to the author, Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the old city hall in Bloomington, Indiana.
Bloomington, Indiana - Indiana University
The Indiana University Gate - from Ritual, Ceremonies, and Cultural Meaning in Higher Education, by Kathleen manning, Bergin Garvey/Greenwood, May 30, 2000, 184 pp., ISBN 0897895045, pp. 7, excerpt from Google Book Search)
According to this excerpt, Indiana limestone was used for the Indiana University Gate.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Indiana University parking garage. Photographs of the garage are included in Photo Gallery 3 of the company’s web site.
Brazil Area in Clay County, Indiana - Use of Building Stone in the Brazil Area (from First Annual Report of the Geological Survey of Indiana, Made During the Year 1869, by E. T. Cox, State Geologist, Assisted by Prof. Frank H. Bradley, Dr. Rufus Haymond, and Dr. G. M. Levette, Indianapolis: 1869, pp. 83.)
“Building-Stone. - The sandstone which overlies the main ‘Block’ coal I, is, in places an excellent building-stone, and is extensively used in Brazil (Indiana) for making foundations, lintels, steps, and other parts of buildings.
“The principal quarry of this rock now opened, is owned by Mr. Simonson, on section 7, town 12, range 6, one and a half miles south of Brazil. It is a bluish-white, hard, micaceous, coarse-grained durable sandstone, and presents a handsome appearance in buildings. On Dr. Wright’s property, and at quite a number of localities on South Otter creek, thence are fine exposures of this sandstone, but as yet little attention has been paid to opening quarries for market.
“The limestone that overlies the upper seam of ‘Block’ coal K, was quarried on Mr. Henry Ashley’s place, about a half mile south-west of Brazil, many years ago, for building abutments to bridges and culverts on the national road; It ranges from two to ten feet in thickness, and may be found at a number of places on the Ashley land, on Garlick & Collins’ land north of Brazil, and on the property of Mr. Grimes, in the neighborhood of the village of Ashboro....”
Cannelton, Indiana - Cannelton Historic District Walking Tour, presented by Perry County, Indiana.
According to this web site, stone carver and mason Martin Heim worked on the Henry Heim House using stone leftover from the construction of St. Michael’s Church. Martin Heim lived in the house until he died in 1880.
Cannelton, Indiana – the Indiana Cotton Mill (history) Construction of the Indiana Cotton Mill began in 1849. This National Historical Monument is built of Indiana sandstone and has been vacant for decades.
Cannelton,Indiana - the Perry County Courthouse Museum (photograph), presented on the Cannelton Historic District Walking Tour.
This is the second courthouse for Cannelton. The building was constructed of Bedford, Indiana, limestone trim on Yellow pressed brick.
Sandstone quarried from nearby hills was used in the construction of the exterior and interior walls of St. Michael Church, which was completed in 1858. the tower was completed in late 1860. The church was later remodeled 3 times. (This entry also indicates that the book, St. Michaels on the Hill, by Michael Rutherford provides more information on the church.)
Clay County, Indiana - Buildings, Abutments To Bridges, & Culverts on The National Road in Clay County (from First Annual Report of the Geological Survey of Indiana, Made During the Year 1869, by E. T. Cox, State Geologist, Assisted by Prof. Frank H. Bradley, Dr. Rufus Haymond, and Dr. G. M. Levette, Indianapolis: 1869, pp. 83.)
“Building-Stone. - The sandstone which overlies the main ‘Block’ coal I, is, in places an excellent building-stone, and is extensively used in Brazil ( Indiana ) for making foundations, lintels, steps, and other parts of buildings.
“The principal quarry of this rock now opened, is owned by Mr. Simonson, on section 7, town 12, range 6, one and a half miles south of Brazil. It is a bluish-white, hard, micaceous, coarse-grained durable sandstone, and presents a handsome appearance in buildings. On Dr. Wright’s property, and at quite a number of localities on South Otter creek, thence are fine exposures of this sandstone, but as yet little attention has been paid to opening quarries for market.
“The limestone that overlies the upper seam of ‘Block’ coal K, was quarried on Mr. Henry Ashley’s place, about a half mile south-west of Brazil, many years ago, for buildings abutments to bridges and culverts on the national road; It ranges from two to ten feet in thickness, and may be found at a number of places on the Ashley land, on Garlick & Collins’ land north of Brazil, and on the property of Mr. Grimes, in the neighborhood of the village of Ashboro....”
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Court House in Columbia City, Indiana, built prior to 1900.
According to this excerpt, the original Columbus Public Library was constructed in 1903 of Indiana limestone.
Corydon, Indiana – Corydon Capitol State Historic Site, presented by the Indiana State Museum (photograph and history)
The building was constructed with limestone quarried nearby.
Corydon: The First State Capitol, presented by K - 12 Webschool (photographs)
According to this excerpt, the first high school in Elkhart was constructed of Indiana limestone. In the early 1910s, this building was demolished to be replaced by Samuel Strong Elementary. (A photograph of the high school is included in this book.)
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building St. John’s Catholic Church. A photograph of the church is included in Photo Gallery 1 of the company’s web site.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the St. Vincent Mercy Hospital sign. Photographs of the sign are included in the “Custom Sign Work” section of the company’s web site.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the County Jail built prior to 1900 in Evansville, Indiana.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Court House constructed prior to 1900 in Evansville, Indiana.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the U. S. Custom House.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the B. L. Auger's building.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Baltas Block.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Fort Wayne Newspaper building. A photographs of the building is included in Photo Gallery 3 of the company’s web site.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the L. Mohr building.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Louis Fox building.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the residence of M. S. Maharius.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Rich & Baker building.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Schmitz Block.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the U. S. government buildings in Fort Wayne.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Franklin Community High School. Photographs of the buildings are included in Photo Gallery 3 of the company’s web site.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Lackey & Thompson building.
“Hanson (PLC) donated 182 hectares including abandoned rock quarries and wooded areas valued at $5 million to DePauw University near Greencastle in Putnam County. It will become the DePauw University Nature Park, and rock climbing may be allowed on the quarry walls.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Robert R. Roberts Memorial. A photograph of the memorial is included in Photo Gallery 1 of the company’s web site.
Greene County, Indiana - Building Foundations, Door-Steps, Lintels, Sills, Chimneys, & Coping in Greene County (from First Annual Report of the Geological Survey of Indiana, Made During the Year 1869, by E. T. Cox, State Geologist, Assisted by Prof. Frank H. Bradley, Dr. Rufus Haymond, and Dr. G. M. Levette, Indianapolis: 1869, pp. 107-108.)
“Building-Stone. - Excellent quarries of sandstone and limestone are now being opened and worked on Mr. Watson’s land, on the line of the Indianapolis & Vincennes railroad, on section 6, town 8, range 4, and on section 14, town 8, range 5.
“...It is a fine-grained, brownish-gray sandstone, with small specks of protoxide of iron, and lies in strata that range from six to sixteen inches in thickness, and may be taken up in slabs of any required length and breadth.
“Sandstone quarries have also been opened by Mr. Hamlin, on section 25, town 7, range 4, and at Mrs. Faucett’s, on Plummer’s creek, on section 4, town 6 range 4.
“The stone at the latter quarry is moderately fine-grained, has a cream color, can readily be split to any required thickness, and is mined on large slabs from six to thirty inches thick. Stone from Hamlin’s quarry is used in Bloomfield for foundations to buildings, door-steps, door and window lintels and sills, chimneys, copings, etc., etc. In quality and in color it is similar to the stone at Mrs. Faucett’s quarry.”
“The firm of Sorenson & Thormann, Huntingburg, Ind., doing business under the name of Patoka Marble Works, has been dissolved by mutual consent, Chas. Sorenson having been compelled to retire on account of ill health. Fred Thormann will conduct the business on his own account.”
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the I.O.O.F. building.
Indianapolis, Indiana - the American United Life (Stone Country, in the “Works” section, text by Scott R. Sanders and photographs by Jeffrey A. Wolin, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1985) According to the author, Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the American United Life building.
Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the American United Life Insurance building.
Oolitic Limestone from Oolitic, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield building.
According to the author, Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the Central Business College.
Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the Channel 13 WTHR Building.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Commercial Club.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the County Jail constructed prior to 1900 in Indianapolis.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Court House constructed prior to 1900 in Indianapolis.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Fall Creek Place sign. Photographs of the sign are included in the “Custom Sign Work” section of the company’s web site.
According to this excerpt, the Federal Building was constructed of Indiana limestone.
The Federal Building was three stories high and constructed of solid limestone walls in the Neoclassical style. The building contained the Post Office, Courts, and various offices. The building was completed in 1860. In the early 1900s the building was refurbished and used as a bank. then in 1962 the old Federal Building was demolished and replaced by the Union Federal Building.
The exterior is constructed with Indiana Bedford limestone, Cold Spring, Minnesota, granite and Fletcher granite. On the interior in the Great Hall Botticino and Rosa Verona marble, along with granite, was used on the floors. Cold Spring granite was used on the staircase.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Indiana State Museum.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Indiana state office building.
According to this excerpt, Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the library.
Indianapolis, Indiana - the K. of P. Building (from Stone Magazine, October 1926, Vol. XLVII, No. 10, pp. 613)
Marble in Lodge Building
“Imported marble, for the most part, were selected for the interior decorative work in the new K. of P. Building, Indianapolis. The lobby and vestibule floors are in fleur de peche, in combination of red Levanto and verde antique. Walls of the vestibule are in yellow Verona marble with bases of Alpine green. Corridors of the second, third floors are in Alabama white marble with York Fossil marble for the bases. Colonial Gray Marble partitions are used in the toilet rooms.”
According to the excerpt from this book, 6 major buildings of the school were constructed of Indiana limestone.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Public Library in Indianapolis constructed prior to 1900.
Indianapolis, Indiana – the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument. The monument is a tribute to Indiana patriots who served in the Civil War and the Spanish American War. The monument is 284 feet, 6 inches tall, and the gray oolitic limestone used for the monument was from the Romona Quarries in Owen County, Indiana. (This information was from a postcard.)
Limestone used for the monument is gray oolitic limestone from the Romona quarries of Owen County. It stands 284 feet, 6 inches high.)
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the State Capitol in Indianapolis.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the State Soldier’s monument.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the U. S. Custom House in Indianapolis.
According to the author, Indiana limestone was used in the construction of the War Memorial in Indianapolis.
Indiana limestone was used for the textured panels on the Willowbrook Park Office Building #6.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Judah community sign. Photographs of the sign are included in the “Custom Sign Work” section of the company’s web site.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Court House in Lafayette constructed prior to 1900.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the University Park Veteran Hospital sign. Photographs of the sign are included in the “Custom Sign Work” section of the company’s web site.
Peter and Margaret (Devillez) Gorges arrived in the area. They were natives of Hachy and Nobressart, Belgium. The Georges were employed as stonemasons on the first phase of the building of St. Augustine Church. Construction of the present church began in 1866. Sandstone quarried near Leopold was used to build the church. The sandstone was hauled up the hill by teams of oxen. The walls of the church were built from 1867 to 1869. In 1903, 30 years later, the tower, spire, chimes and bells were completed.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Little Turtle Waterway Plaza. Photographs of the buildings are included in Photo Gallery 1 of the company’s web site.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Soldiers’.
Lawrence County, Indiana – the “Limestone Capital of the World”
Group Tours in Lawrence County, Indiana (Following are some of the stone quarry-related destinations available on group tours: Tour an architectural stone company, tour Historic Greenhill Cemetery, visit to the Empire Quarry Hole where the stone was quarried for the Empire State building in New York City, visit a limestone mill to see how the stone is carved, visit to the Land of Limestone Exhibit or Lawrence County Historical Museum. These are just a few of the places to see on these Lawrence County group tours. (A photograph of the Empire Quarry Hole is included on this web site in the Lawrence County Group Tours section.)
“Building-Stone. - The conglomerate sandstone, which forms high cliffs on Big Raccoon, Little Raccoon and Sugar creeks, may be quarried in blocks of any required dimensions, and will make a handsome and durable building stone. At Mansfield, on Big Raccoon creek, this rock is a beautiful reddish-brown color, closely resembling in appearance the brown sandstone of which the Smithsonian Institute at Washington, D.C., is built. It has been used in the construction of abutments to the bridge which crosses the creek at Mansfield, where it has been exposed to the weather for several years, and gives evidence of being a durable stone.”
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Peabody Retirement Community building. Photographs of the buildings are included in Photo Gallery 2 of the company’s web site.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Grant County Court House.
Marion, Indiana - the Grant County Courthouse from A Lynching in the Heartland, by James H. Madison, Palgrave, Jan. 4, 2003, 240 pp., ISBN 1403961212, pp. 32, excerpt from Google Book Search)
According to this excerpt, the Grant County Courthouse was constructed in 1880 of Indiana limestone.
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Columbia Hotel.
Mt. Vernon, Indiana – the Court House (pre-1900) (from A Glimpse of the Celebrated Stone Quarries at Bedford, Indiana.)
Bedford Oolitic Limestone quarried at Bedford, Indiana, was used in the construction of the Court House in Mt. Vernon, Indiana.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the music building at Ball State University. Photographs of the building are included in Photo Gallery 1 of the company’s web site.
According to the Indiana Monument & Cut Stone, Inc. web site, Indiana limestone was used in building the Art and Journalism building at Ball State University. Photographs of the building are included in Photo Gallery 1 of the company’s web site.