The Colorado Building and Ornamental Stones, 1886

Excerpts from

“Limestones and Dolomites. Marbles” in Colorado,pp. 376.

“Colorado. - No marbles are as yet quarried in this State, but the Museum collections show a small piece of a black white-veined breccia from Pitkin that might rival the imported ‘Portoro’ from the Monte d’ Arma quarries in Italy, if occurring in sufficient abundance. Concerning the extent and character of the formation the author knows nothing. In the marble yards of Denver the author was shown during the summer of 1886 a fine chocolate-colored stone, somewhat resembling the more uniform colors of Tennessee marble, which was stated to have been brought from near Fort Collins, in Laramie County, where it occurred in great quantities; also a fair grade of white blue-veined marble from Gunnison County. A beautiful breccia marble is stated* to occur in abundance a few miles north of Boulder City .

(* Page 376 footnote: Bien. Rep. State Geol. of Colo. , 1880, p. 11.)

Limestones and Dolomites Other Than Marbles in Colorado,pp. 392.

“Colorado. - The collections show from this State a coarse, reddish limestone from Jefferson County, and also a very compact, finely crystalline black stone, traversed by a coarse net-work of very fine white lines, from Pitkin in Gunnison County. This last stone takes a polish, and might almost be classed as a marble. Neither stone is now quarried to any extent.”

Granites in Colorado,pp. 412.

“Colorado. - Granites are at present but little worked in Colorado, although the State contains great quantities of this material. A coarse red granite has been quarried to some extent from bowlders at Platte Cañon, Jefferson County, but the rock is poor in color and possesses but little tenacity. Fine gray granite of good quality occurs at Georgetown and Lawson, in Clear Creek County, and there are inexhaustible quantities of equally good material all through the mountains, but which are not quarried owing to the cost of transportation. A full series of them is in the Museum collection.”

Sandstones in Colorado,pp. 446.

“Colorado. - This State contains a variety of sandstones, of good quality, but which, owing to lack of transportation facilities and the thinly settled condition of the country, are as yet in little demand. Near Fort Collins, in Larimer County, a fine light-gray stone occurs which is excellent for flagging and foundations, but contains too much pyrite for fine building purposes. At Coal Creek, in Fremont County, is also a fine grayish or buff stone closely resembling that of Berea, Ohio. As seen by the writer in the stone-yards of Denver, this is a most excellent material, being free from flaws, of good color, and cutting to a sharp edge. It is stated that it occurs in inexhaustible quantities and is obtainable in blocks of large size. At Glencoe, above Golden, in Jefferson County, there occurs a deep salmon-red stone of a beautiful warm and lively hue. It is said to work with considerable difficulty, but is much sought on account of its color. Its principal market is now Chicago, but it is a matter of regret that it can not be introduced into our eastern markets. Near Morrison, in the same county, there occur extensive beds of red and nearly white sandstone. The white is not considered desirable, but the red is much sought for trimming purposes. It is stated to absorb water readily, and hence to be peculiarly liable to damage from frost. The light-colored stone used in the construction of the court-house at Denver was obtained from Cretaceous beds near Cañon City. Trinidad, Las Animas County, also furnishes a good sandstone, which is used in Denver, and another important stone of good quality is brought from Amargo, in Rio Arribo County, across the line in New Mexico.”

[Top of Page]

---

Commercial use of material within this site is strictly prohibited. It is not to be captured, reworked, and placed inside another web site ©. All rights reserved. Peggy B. and George (Pat) Perazzo.