Alabama’s marble: One of the state’s most stunning natural resources is making a comeback
by Laura McAlister, al.com
Some of the world’s most recognized statues are sculpted from it, and buildings from Birmingham to Washington, D.C. and beyond are clad with it.
While many may think of Italy or Greece when it comes to marble, some of the world’s purest and whitest is found in Alabama. About 45 miles southeast of Birmingham is what’s known as the Alabama Marble Belt. It’s 32 miles long, a mile and a half wide and up to 600 feet deep.Quarries in Talledega County, mainly Sylacauga, have been extracting the durable stone from the earth for more than 160 years.
Alabama’s share of the ancient rock is in federal buildings and national landmarks like the U.S. Supreme Court and the Lincoln Memorial. It’s also making a comeback, though some say the pristine white, silver-veined stone that comes out of Sylacauga’s precious quarries never went out of style, especially in home decor.
“What a natural treasure we have here in the state,” says Birmingham decorator Dana Wolter. “It’s really a special thing because it’s used all over the world. I think any natural material will always be in style. Anything God made is classic, and it will last forever.”
Currently, the white marble is mainly used in smaller projects such as home kitchens and baths, but soon the stone will be available again for large-scale buildings and monuments, thanks to a family business based in Bessemer.
TBGS Holdings recently acquired Sylacauga Marble Company and has plans to ramp up production at the quarry within the next two to three months, says Jacob Swindal, director of sales and marketing for TBGS.
“Our main goal is to attract architectural firms and sell it worldwide,” he says.
The Swindal family also owns and operates Masonry Arts LLC. Founded in 1979, the company fabricates and installs stone, masonry and architectural precast. The father and sons team of Roy, Jacob and John has been working with Alabama white marble for decades.
What Makes It Unique?Formed some 500 million years ago, marble is a metamorphic rock, meaning it is created from a change in an existing rock — in this case, limestone.
“When limestone is subjected to great pressure and heat, it forms marble,” says Southern Company geologist Rick Esposito, who’s also president of the Alabama Geological Society. “In the Marble Belt, the conditions are correct for the formation of metamorphic marble.”
The white color comes from the purity of the limestone, he adds; the silver and gray veins are from impurities in the rock, which makes every slab unique.
John Swindal, TBGS Holdings chief operating officer, says depending on the depth at which the marble is extracted, the white marble can also vary with shades of pink, blue and green.
While the purity of the stone is valued by sculptors and decorators alike, it’s the durability that adds to its value, especially for buildings and monuments.
That’s the reason Italian sculptor Giuseppe Moretti, known best here for casting Vulcan, used it to sculpt his famous “Head of Christ” that sits at the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery.
It’s in pristine condition more than a century later. Moretti found the white marble mined in Alabama to be closely related to that from his home country of Italy, where the white Carrara marble is quarried, with one significant difference. Alabama marble, Jacob says, is harder and more durable.
Esposito says that’s what makes it a popular choice for city and federal buildings, as well as tombstones.
“Before, it was easier to cut limestone, so it was used in cemeteries; but over the years, they begin to weather,” he says. “That’s why marble and granite are used for tombstones now. They are very durable and very desirable for buildings, especially if outdoors.”
Durable and EnduringThe first recorded discovery of Alabama white marble was in 1814 when Dr. Edward Gantt was traveling through the state with Gen. Andrew Jackson and his army. He noticed the large deposits and returned 20 years later to purchase land and quarry the rock.
Numerous others followed in the years to come, including Moretti, the sculptor who casted Vulcan.
Throughout the first half of the 19th century, the marble business was booming in Alabama. The rock was in high demand, and there was plenty to go round. According to the Alabama Department of Archives and History, some 30 million tons of marble have been quarried in Sylacauaga since 1900.
Recognizing the value of the marble industry, state officials voted to name marble the state rock of Alabama in 1969. Shortly after, however, production began to slow and the material was being used for smaller scale projects instead of big federal buildings.
The Swindals say that will change once production is restarted at Sylacauga Marble Quarry. While the prior operators were focusing more on grinding down the marble for use in products such as cosmetics, diapers and magazine paper, the Swindals have bigger plans.
“We saw a unique opportunity to reinvent Alabama white marble because it’s so popular,” Jacob says. “Our main goal is to attract architectural firms and sell it worldwide.”
The Swindals would like to see the material used in prominent buildings once again. And with such a great supply, they say there’s no reason it won’t be.
“We’ve done core samples down 200 feet, and there’s no end,” says Jacob of the marble supply at the quarry. “I’ll be quarrying this. My son will be. At a minimum, it’ll be 150 years.
Where in the world is Alabama white marble?Alabama white marble can be found in buildings all over the country. Here are a few notable spots with decorative accents mined from the Yellowhammer State.
Birmingham: John Hand Building, Vance Federal Courthouse, “The Head of Christ” by Giuseppe Moretti, Wells Fargo headquarters, City Federal, Chamber of Commerce building
Washington, D.C.: Washington Monument, The Great Hall of the U.S. Supreme Court, the bust of Abraham Lincoln in the Capitol building, the ceiling of the Lincoln Memorial
Beyond: Dime Savings Bank in New York, the Kesner Building in Chicago, Al Jolson Shrine in California, the Arkansas State Capitol Rotunda, Burbridge Hotel in Jacksonville, Fla., Lowry National Bank in Atlanta
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