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Home > Alabama > List of Quarries in Alabama & Quarry Links, Photographs and Articles
(The following list of Alabama quarries is not a complete list of all of the historical quarries in the state, only the ones I have been able to locate. If you know of more historical quarries in Alabama, please contact me. Peggy B. Perazzo)
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Alabaster, Alabama - Alabaster Quarry (present-day company) 1180 Fulton Springs Road, Alabaster, Alabama 35007; (facility) (205) 620-2670; (sales) (205) 969-2629.
“Mineral exploration in Alabama continued to focus on industrial resources with several large expansions and new operations in recent years...McCartney Construction Co. recently open its Coldwater Mountain quarry near Anniston, producing crushed quartzite for aggregate....”
Averiett Springs Division - Extent.
“This division includes the portion of the marble belt lying between the watershed just to the southwest of Gantt’s Quarry, and the sharp bend in the marble deposits just southwest of Averiett Springs on the line between range 2 and 3, a distance of about four miles. For this portion of the marble area the valley trends nearly east and west and is approximately a half mile in width.
Structure.
“The fault block character of this division of the marble area, like the Gantt’s Quarry division is very evident from the non-conformity of the strike of the rock in the valley and the trend of the valley.
“The shale and sandstone formation, which is more than a mile distant from the marble valley in the neighborhood of Gantt’s Quarry, approaches the marble belt closely at Averiett Springs. See map frontispiece.)
“The probable structure of this division is suggested by the faint lines running through the light shaded marble area on the map of this region.
Marble Occurrences.
“Some of the higher elevated portions of this division are known to be underlain by dolomite, or dolomite and marble interbedded, (see Figure 7 for such conditions from sink in NW. of SE. of S. 4, T. 22-S., R. 3-E.), while the bottom lands are thought to be largely underlain by marble. The only locality in this division where marble has been exposed is in the general neighborhood of Averiett Springs on the present Hamilton place. Here a little northwest of the center of the NW. ¼ of S. 7, T. 22, R. 3-E., is a beautiful sugary textured, white marble exposed in the bed of a small branch. A prospect pit about 20 feet west of the exposure in the branch also shows the same kind of marble. Henry McCalley in his report on the Valley Regions of Alabama, Vol. II, p. 589, makes reference to the marble here mentioned in the branch. About 700 feet S. 70° E. from this exposure in the flat land near a lime sink, another prospect made by the owner of the land, shows a good grade of marble with strike as nearly as could be told from small exposure, N. 55° E., and with dip of 35° E. There is also reported to be marble in an old pit just above the crossing of the branch by the old Sylacauga road about in the center of the southern half of the SE. ¼ of S. 6, T. 22-S., R. 3-E. A prospect pit was put down to a depth of 17 feet in the center of the NE. ¼ of S. 7, T. 22, R. 3-E. without getting through the surface mantle of loose drift from the phyllite hills just to the southeast.
“This division has been little prospected for marble, but the indications are excellent in a number of places.
Drainage.
"There are numerous sinks in this division through which the surface waters get into the underground drainage. This explains the absence of surface streams for the greater part of the year in this area. The underground drainage of this division largely comes to the surface at the Averiett Springs, which is located on the west side of the marble area, or from other springs in the same general neighborhood. (See Plate XXX B for the size of stream flowing from Averiett Springs in the dry season.)”
Watters Division - Extent.
“From the sharp bend in the marble valley, about one-half mile southwest of the Averiett Springs, to the crossing of Peckerwood Creek, (about 4 miles), the trend of the marble-bearing area is due southwest. The width of the marble-bearing rocks in this division is seldom more, and usually much less, than a quarter of a mile.
Topography.
“In portions of this division the area is topographically marked as a secondary valley on the eastern slope of a large dolomite valley. Just before reaching Peckerwood Creek its elevation becomes that of the general valley.
Prospects.
“In the Watters Division there are no natural outcrops of marble, and its presence is only inferred from the topography and from its reported occurrence in some of the wells on the Watters property in S. 23, T. 22-S., R. 2-E. In these wells, however, the marble was reported to be 60 feet below the surface. From the relationship of the phyllite on the east, it is probable that the marble in this area is for the most part deeply buried.
West Boundary Fault.
“In places the boundary fault on the west side of the marble was marked by massive chert boulders. In one place, SE. corner of S. 14, T. 22-S., R. 2-E., these boulders can be seen standing some 30 feet or more above the general level of the country (Plate XXIX B). This phenomenon of massive chert boulders along the fault line, has been noted elsewhere in the region where the fault has involved the siliceous Knox Dolomite.”
Industry
"The town is served (1911) by the Alabama Great Southern (Queen & Crescent route), the Louisville & Nash~ ville, the Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham (St Louis & San Francisco system), the Birlningham (sic) Southern, and the Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic railways.
"Bessemer is situated in the midst of the iron ore and limestone district of Alabama, in the south part of Jones' Valley (about 3 m. wide.); to the east is the Red Ore mountain range, rich in red haematite; to the north-west are the Warrior coalfields; to the south-west, south and south-east are immense fossiliferous iron ore seams and the Cahaba coalfields; in the immediate vicinity of the city are limestone quarries, and about 18 m. north-east are the limestone kilns of Gate City."
“Minor Marble Deposits - Variegated Marbles.
“Besides the variegated marble from near Calera, which is described elsewhere in this bulletin* and which is of Cambrian age, there are a number of localities, especially in Jefferson and St. Clair counties, where rocks of Pelham age yield variegated marbles. In nearly every case these deposits are near the base of the Pelham formation and usually are near a fault or represent a brecciated deposit.
(* See entry: Calera (south of east of), Shelby County, Alabama - Variegated Marbles Near Calera above.)
“Near McCalla Station, Jefferson County
“One of the best known of these deposits* occurs about a mile west of McCalla station in the SE. ¼ of NW. ¼ of S. 35, T. 19, R. 5-W. Another locality** is just east of Bessemer in NW. ¼ of S. 11, T. 19, R. 4-W. In both these localities the marble is highly ferruginous and locally tinged greenish.”
(* Page 92, footnote 1: McCalley, The Valley Regions of Alabama, Pt. II, p. 337.)
(** Page 92, footnote 2: McCalley, The Valley Regions of Alabama, Pt. II, p. 340.)
“Bib County Marble.
“Location.
“The semi-crystalline marble of Bibb county has long been known, and in the past considerably worked in a few localities. The chief locality of this early development was in the main deposit in S. 32, T. 24-N., R. 10-E. This locality is on the Cahaba River near Pratt’s Ferry (see sketch map, Figure 26). At this point prominent bluffs of marble form the right (the northwest) bank of the river for three-fourths of a mile, beginning about one and one-half miles below the present bridge at Pratt’s Ferry. On account of the bend in the river at the point of exposure of the marble and the gentle dip of the marble in a southeasterly direction, the deposit also shows on the left (southeast) side of the river in the same section, but to a much less extent.
“These deposits are approximately 6 miles up the Cahaba River from Centerville, and about 7 ½ miles directly south from Blocton, also about ½ mile distant from the Blocton-Centerville pike. The Eoline branch of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad could be reached by a spur track in less than 5 miles.
“The belt of marbleized limestone leaves the river in the SW. of the SW. of S. 32, and continues as a narrowing belt into the southwest portion of S. 31 adjoining, where it practically dies out. In the east-northeast direction the marbleized rock seems to be somewhat thicker, as far as exposed, but is mostly concealed for some distance after leaving the river, except in the NE. of the NE. of S. 32 - where a small branch exposes a portion of it.
Character of Marble.
“The marble exposed in the bluffs along the river has in general a light gray tone. In some layers there are a great many white calcite streaks and in much of the marble there are spots and small irregular areas of yellowish color. A portion of the marble, at least locally, shows a considerable amount of variegation due to coloring of the otherwise light gray marble by veins, streaks, and irregular masses of deep red-stained layers of variegated marble in the quarry as probably representing the same horizon as the iron-ore beds which occur in the old Milwain property about 1 ½ miles southwest of the quarry. It is known that this ore is local in its occurrence, in some places lying between Pelham and marbleized Beekmantown limestone, and in other places between Pelham and a dolomite of either Knox or Beekmantown age.
“From a rather hasty study of the marble deposits at the location of the old quarry by the river, I (the author, William F. Prouty) am led to the conclusion that the variegated marble, showing the admixture of deep red angular masses of marble with the light gray, is due to faulting, and that this extremely variegated deposit is a fault breccia.
“Mr. McCalley* refers to the red-stained
(* Page 84 footnote: Valley Regions of Alabama, Part I, p. 499.)
“A study of the marble by means of thin sections under the microscope, shows it to be of semi-crystalline character, as can be seen in Plate VII A.
“The marble takes a beautiful polish and has been in the past used for interior decoration, as well as for monumental purposes. The courthouse at Marion, Ala., is one of the buildings using material from this quarry.
Age of Marble.
“The main mass of the marble is of Pelham age, chiefly lower Pelham or Chazian, but locally the Beekmantown limestone underlying the Pelham unconformably and varying greatly in thickness, is also marbleized. This is especially the case near the center of S. 31, which adjoins the section showing the marble bluffs.
Conditions Toward The Northeast.
“There are few good exposures of the Pratt’s Ferry marbleized horizon farther to the northeast and east of this area for some distance, but it appears that the Beekmantown thickens in that direction, and that, while it is gray in color, closely resembling the Pratt’s Ferry marble, yet it is less crystalline and could not be considered a marble. In this direction also the lower portion of the Pelham seems to be seldom if ever sufficiently recrystallized to be properly called a marble.
Marble Outside The Main Deposit.
“Besides the marble in the Pelham and Beekmantown, there are two beds of light gray semi-crystalline marble, varying somewhat in thickness, but averaging not over 20 feet, which occur in the dolomite area in belts parallel with the main deposit, but some distance back from it. At one time marble was both quarried and sawed from the lower of these two beds. This lower bed of marble is well exposed a little north of the center of S. 28, T. 24-N., R. 10-E., on the Cahaba River; a little east of the center of S. 36, T. 24-N., R. 9-E., and at Avery’s bluff on the Cahaba River in the eastern portion of S. 14, T. 23-N., R. 9-E. The upper layer is exposed at the ford of Schultz Creek, in the SW. of S. 1, T. 23-N., R. 9-E. and again on Burkhalter Branch, in the NW. of the NW. OF s. 32. T. 24-N., R. 10-E. The line of approximate outcrop of these two marble beds is to be seen on the sketch map, Figure 26.
Structure.
“The main deposit of marble which is exposed in bluffs above referred to along the Cahaba River in S. 32, represents the outcrop of the western limb of a syncline or trough, which dips under the river to the southeast. The east limb of this syncline again rises to the surface, or nearly to the surface, in the distance of about a mile across the strike to the southeast before again dipping, or being cut off by a fault, (see Structure Section, Figure 27).
“The chief marble deposits of the Pratt’s Ferry district, therefore, occur in a limited portion of the western outcropping limb of a basin-like area which has practically no outcrop on the eastern side of the basin.
Thickness Main Deposit.
“In the neighborhood of the old quarry and mill, which were located on the variegated marble deposit in the NE. of the NW. of S. 32, T. 24-N., R. 10-E., the thickness of the stone which has been sufficiently metamorphosed to be classed as a marble, is not far from 225 feet.
“The marble thins to the southwest of the old quarry and becomes of poor grade towards the northeast, yet the quantity of available marble is very great.”
| (postcard photograph Series No. 2535; Raphael Tuck & Sons, Art Publishers to Their Majesties The King and queen; Photochromed in Saxony; postmark June 8, 1909) |  |
The Birmingham Memorial Company was listed as one of the customers of the Mount Brothers of Memphis Missouri, who sold their Air Take-off Device used in carving cemetery stones.
Alabama Marble Marble Company, New York City - San Francisco
The Quarries which we represent are located at Brownson, Alabama. They are the only quarries in this section operating and furnishing strictly high-grade Alabama Marble. The products of these quarries have been known to the trade as Madre Cream Alabama and Madre Veined Alabama.
The Marble is of rare quality, Cream White Background. Unsurpassed for Ecclesiastical Work. Carves beautifully. We are also in a position to furnish you with Alama Granito (Alabama Marble Granito). Our Policy: We dispose of the entire output of many quarries and act as wholesale distributors of a varied and complete stock of domestic and imported marble and stone.
With independent manufacturers who own and operate a plant - we deal direct. (In no manner do we compete with the independent manufacturers.)
Through this policy we have established a reputation for maintaining a fair and staple market for our materials.
“There are several places in the State where black marble is known to occur, although it has never been worked commercially, for the reason that there is very little market for this stone at the present time. Most of the so-called ‘black marble’ is not a marble at all but is a very dark gray limestone which takes a nearly black polish. (For the character of the grain of this marble see Plate V B.)....
“The variegated Cambrian marble from near Calera is said to change locally to a black marble.”
Shelby County Variegated Marbles Near Calera.
Location and Age.
“About four miles a little to the south of east of Calera, in Shelby county, occurs a deposit of variegated marble belonging in age to the Beaver or Aldrich limestone, which occurs toward the base of Montevallo shale formation. All the strata in this area are somewhat metamorphosed.*
(* Page 86 footnote: Report on the Valley Regions of Alabama, Pt. 2, Geol. Surv. of Alabama, 1897, pp. 513, 514.)
“The marble deposit is exposed in two contiguous valleys. The best exposed locality is about ¼ mile southwest of the point where the main stream of the Buxahatchee Creek cuts through, and parallels for a short distance, the outcrop of marble. It is here in a steep bank at the head of a ravine in the NW. ¼ of the NE. ¼ of S. 8, T. 24-N., R. 14-E. The other exposure is about 1 ¼ mile northeast of the one just mentioned near a small branch of the Buxahatchee on the property of J. W. Miller, in the NE. ¼ of the N2 W. ¼ of S. 4, T. 24-N., R. 14-E. Between these two localities the marble is not exposed though its location is marked by a ridge-forming sandstone which occurs immediately under the marble.
(Map caption - map not included here) Figure 27. Section across the strike through the Pratt’s Ferry marble deposit, showing the basin-like character of the deposit and explaining the absence of outcrop of the marble on the east side of the basin and the sub-carboniferous isolated area on the highland east of the river. The depression in the marble outcrop represents the location of the Cahaba River. The old marble quarry was located on the west bank of the river at this point in the NW. of S. 32 (see map Figure 26).
“Accessibility.
“The southwestern of the two exposures is easily accessible to the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which could reach it by spur track, having low grade, in a distance of less than two miles. (See map of area, Figure 28.)
“Character of Marble.
“Mr. Butts* gives the following section at the southwest of the two exposures:
Sandstone, highly ferruginous (loose ore) - 20’
Shale, weathering yellowish-green - 20’
Marble, thick-bedded, fine grained, variegated - 25’
Sandstone (quartzitic?) coarse, with quartz veins - 50’(Page 88 footnote: Contribution to Economic Geol. bull. 470, pp. 237-239, 1910.)
“The character of the marble is also described by Mr. Butts as follows:
“‘The marble is thick bedded, the layers being 3 to 4 feet thick. They are cut by joints which divide them into blocks of considerable size, and it seems probable that under good cover even larger blocks that could be obtained would have to be determined by tests involving excavation and the actual working of representative samples of the rock. The rock is very fine grained and takes a high polish. Part of the layers are gray and part are variegated with deep red and pale pink, the whole stratum being composed perhaps of one-half of each kind. The color is due to a coating of iron oxide on the limestone grains. The variegated layers appear to prevail in the upper portion, the gray layers below. The rock is traversed by many white and bluish-gray calcite veins, and here and there by thin stringers of small quartz grains. The variegation gives to the rock a highly ornamental effect when polished, and it would appear to possess superior qualities for decorative purposes.’
(Map caption - map not included here) Figure 28. Showing location and geological setting of the Shelby county variegated marble.* (* Geology from map by Chas. Butts, Bull. U. S. G. S., 470)
“On the property of J. W. Miller in NE. of NW. S. 4, T. 24, R. 14-E., the exposure shows the upper portion of the marble bed for about 15 feet. There seems to be 10 to 15 feet more marble concealed in the valley. The marble here is similar to that shown in the exposure near Buxahatachee Creek.
“The marble in the two exposures cited above is semi-crystalline. The particles making the ground-mass are fine, having a grain size of from .03 m.m. to .003 m.m. The crystals which occur in the ground-mass are very irregular in outline and from .1 to .15 m.m. in diameter (see Plate IV A and Figure 29.). On account of the perfect cementation of the marble after fracture and on account of the interlocking character of crystals, the marble should be unusually strong.”
| Figure 28. Showing location and geological setting of the Shelby county variegated marble. Geology from map by Chas. Butts, Bull. U.S.G.S., 470. (Bulletin 18, 1916, pp. 89) |  |
“About 5 miles southeast from Opelika, Lee county occurs a narrow strip of highly crystalline dolomite (see thin section Plate VI A). This dolomite is for the most part a beautiful pearly white stone. The belt in which the dolomite occurs is about a third of a mile wide and is known to extend for several miles in a northeast and southwest direction (see map of the area, Figure 30). This stone has been quarried extensively in the past for lime. The chief quarry is located near Chewacla in the NE of the SE. of S. 4, T. 18, R. 27-E. Quarries in this dolomite have been opened at several places in the past, including Echols’ Mills and Springvilla.
“Chemical Analysis shows the stone to be nearly pure dolomite.
“A light colored talc occurs in some of the layers in small streaks and spots and where present in considerable amount would interfere with the use of the stone for ornamental purposes. It is probable that there are portions of the deposits free from the talc impurity, and if prospecting proves this to be the case we would have here a first-class building stone.
“The Chewacla dolomitic marble is almost identical in appearance with the Cockeysville dolomitic marble of Maryland, so much used in and about Baltimore.”
“Onyx Marble
“Location and Extent of Deposit.
“A cave of considerable dimension occurs in the Knox Dolomite formation about 5 miles a little N. of E. of Childersburg in the SE. of the NE. of S. 12, T. 20, R. 3-E. In the huge entrance chamber of this cave, which is approximately 25 feet wide and 450 feet long, there is a large amount of high grade onyx-marble. The stalactites hang in large masses from the high ceiling, and the drippings from the stalactites have built up numerous massive stalagmites, some of the larger ones being as much as 10 feet in diameter. In other places the stalagmites and stalactites have grown together forming massive columns of onyx-marble. Locally the precipitation of the onyx-marble on the side walls of the cave have considerable thickness, while in other places, as is to be expected, the onyx coating is very thin. There are a number of rooms and passage-ways leading from the main entrance chamber, which have available onyx-marble. Prospecting near the entrance of the cave has shown the presence of large onyx boulders. One of these seen had a maximum diameter of 12 feet. These boulders occur in the dolomite and red clay soil, and evidently mark the position of passage-ways into the cave which have been filled by the precipitation of the calcium carbonate from the mineral waters seeking entrance into the cavern.
“The natural entrance into the cave has been enlarged by an open cut 230 feet long, 27 feet deep, and 15 feet wide at the bottom. This cut is nearly on a level with the floor of the cave. In this cut, which shows about two-thirds red clay and gravel, and one-third stone, onyx was encountered in the form of boulders in the dolomite within about 20 feet of the main entrance to the cave. It is figured that this latter part of the cut will yield about 1 ½ car loads of high grade onyx.
“Up to the present time (circa 1916) no work has been done in the cave toward developing the marble.
“Quantity.
“Several mining engineers from the different railroads, have visited the cave in the last 2 or 3 years. These engineers have reported from 100,000 to 200,000 cubic feet of onyx-marble in sight. They also seem convinced that there is a considerable amount of boulder onyx in the mountain in the neighborhood of the cave.
“Character of Marble.
“A large percentage of the stone occurring in the stalactites and stalagmites is available for use. The color on an average is excellent, and the onyx is much freer from holes than many of the cave onyx deposits. The coloring in the marble is for the most part cream, pink, and red, and the stone is full of life and transparency. An analysis of this marble made by the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Co., shows 99 per cent. calcium carbonate, and about 1 per cent. silica and iron.
“Economic Consideration.
“The cave is located within about 2 miles of the Southern Railroad, and a spur track could be extended to the opening of the cave without much grading.
“At present time (circa 1916) the European war has disturbed the market for onyx, but ordinarily the price of onyx-marble of an average grade is about $6.00 per cubic foot. f. o. b. The demand for onyx-marble is relatively small, but it is thought by men in the marble business that market could be had for at least 10,000 cubic feet per year, and possibly a greater amount if the market was carefully solicited.
“There are doubtless many other caves in the great limestone region of the State which have considerable amount of onyx-marble. There are, however, many things to be considered in the development of such a property, and the quantity of onyx in such caves is usually very much overestimated by those who have not had experience in such matters. Before developing cave properties it would be wise to have them carefully examined by a competent geologist or mining engineer.”
“There are several places in the State where black marble is known to occur, although it has never been worked commercially, for the reason that there is very little market for this stone at the present time. Most of the so-called ‘black marble’ is not a marble at all but is a very dark gray limestone which takes a nearly black polish. (For the character of the grain of this marble see Plate V B.)....
“On the north side of Colvin Mountain, near its eastern extremity, about eight miles west of Piedmont and about ¾ mile a little east of south from the point where Calhoun, Etowah and Cherokee counties corner, there is to be found a small opening in a deposit of ‘black marble’ of probable Pelham age. The deposit as shown here is for the most part thin bedded, the layers being seldom more than two feet in thickness. At other exposures in this same region, however, the layers are much thicker. A shaft of black marble from this locality is on exhibition in the Museum of Natural History at the University of Alabama. Between the above exposure on the north foot of Colvin Mountain and the Coosa River, along the foot of Colvin Mountain and in the bottomlands bordering it, there are to be found a number of exposures of this black marble.”
“A semi-crystalline gray marble occurs in the Sub-Carbonifious (sic) limestone in a number of places in the Tennessee Valley. This gray marble resembles the commercial gray marbles of Tennessee. Some very beautiful samples have been recently received by the Geological Survey of Alabama from a little southeast of Decatur, Alabama. A photomicrograph of a thin section of this marble from the NW. corner of S. 13, T. 6, R. 3-W is represented in Plate VII B.”
Figure 30. Showing the location of a part of the Chewacla dolomite marble deposits, pp. 95. |
 |
“About 5 miles southeast from Opelika, Lee county occurs a narrow strip of highly crystalline dolomite (see thin section Plate VI A). This dolomite is for the most part a beautiful pearly white stone. The belt in which the dolomite occurs is about a third of a mile wide and is known to extend for several miles in a northeast and southwest direction (see map of the area, Figure 30). This stone has been quarried extensively in the past for lime. The chief quarry is located near Chewacla in the NE of the SE. of S. 4, T. 18, R. 27-E. Quarries in this dolomite have been opened at several places in the past, including Echols’ Mills and Springvilla.
“Chemical Analysis shows the stone to be nearly pure dolomite.
“A light colored talc occurs in some of the layers in small streaks and spots and where present in considerable amount would interfere with the use of the stone for ornamental purposes. It is probable that there are portions of the deposits free from the talc impurity, and if prospecting proves this to be the case we would have here a first-class building stone.
“The Chewacla dolomitic marble is almost identical in appearance with the Cockeysville dolomitic marble of Maryland, so much used in and about Baltimore.”
"The announcement is made in the Fort Payne, Ala. Journal that Messrs. Folsom and Saunders have purchased the Fort Payne stone works and will at once put the plant into operation. Messrs. Folsom and Saunders are the proprietors of the Fort Payne Basket Co., a concern which employs about 200 hands, and which is the only industry which has been carried on in that noted city."
“...Many of the original structures are still standing and used in the park. Located off the white hiking trail is the rock quarry where many long hours were spent by the CCC removing the large stones for construction of a variety of facilities and structures. An old star drill, wedged in a rock, still remains after 60 years. This old tool can be located at the CCC rock quarry on the white hiking trail.”
“Tertiary Marble
“In the St. Stephens or Vicksburg limestone of the Tertiary formation, at Gainestown, St. Stephens and other localities, there are numerous occurrences of hard fossiliferous limestone which takes a good polish, and from its pleasing colors, red, yellow, gray, etc., should be good for decorative purposes. None of this marble has yet (circa 1916) been utilized, nor have any of the occurrences been investigated as t their commercial possibilities.”
“Near Greensport, Shelby County
“According to M. Tuomey,* ‘A very elegant marble occurs above Ashville. It is gray with bright yellow and greenish veins. It occurs in thin beds in a ridge cut in two by Canoe Creek, not far from where the road to Greensport diverges from the Ashville road.’”
(* Page 93 footnote: Second Biennial Report on the Geology of Alabama, 1858, p. 121.)
“Three Caves is not a cave at all, but a former limestone mine. The mine began operating on a small basis in the spring of 1945. The site of Three Caves was owned by Madison County and leased to Madison Limestone Company for five cents per ton of limestone hauled away.
“After the war ended, the demand for limestone for construction increased for a fast-growing Huntsville. At its height, the quarry spawned tons of limestone that paved the majority of Huntsville's original main streets and parking lots. The Three Caves Quarry closed in 1952 due to skyrocketing operation costs and the growth of Huntsville. Open pit mining was more efficient, and a mining operation in the middle of town was unsafe for obvious reasons....”
Kymulga, Talladega County, Alabama - Onyx-Marble Deposits in Cave (from Preliminary Report on The Crystalline and Other Marbles of Alabama, Bulletin 18,” by William F. Prouty, Geological Survey of Alabama , 1916)
| Plate XXIII. Entrance chamber in onyx-marble cave near Kymulga, Talladega County. The rock in which the cavern is formed is a dolomite. The onyx-marble deposits are calcite. (This description is from pp. 168-169 of Bulletin 18.) |  |
“Mineral exploration in Alabama continued to focus on industrial resources with several large expansions and new operations in recent years...Opelika Materials LLC recently began crushed stone operations at the historic Chewacla marble quarry in Lee County (Stevenson, 1997)....”
Marion (near), Alabama – Quarry Holes Along Side of Road (postcard photograph)
| Quarry Holes Along Side of Road (colorized postcard photograph; published by J.C. Mickleboro, Marion, Alabama; early 1900s; unmailed) |  |
“Minor Marble Deposits - Variegated Marbles.
“Besides the variegated marble from near Calera, which is described elsewhere in this bulletin* and which is of Cambrian age, there are a number of localities, especially in Jefferson and St. Clair counties, where rocks of Pelham age yield variegated marbles. In nearly every case these deposits are near the base of the Pelham formation and usually are near a fault or represent a brecciated deposit.
(* See entry: Calera (south of east of), Shelby County, Alabama - Variegated Marbles Near Calera above.)
“Near McCalla Station, Jefferson County
“One of the best known of these deposits* occurs about a mile west of McCalla station in the SE. ¼ of NW. ¼ of S. 35, T. 19, R. 5-W. Another locality is just east of Bessemer in NW. ¼ of S. 11, T. 19, R. 4-W. In both these localities the marble is highly ferruginous and locally tinged greenish.”
(* Page 92, footnote 1: McCalley, The Valley Regions of Alabama, Pt. II, p. 337.)
“About 5 miles southeast from Opelika, Lee county occurs a narrow strip of highly crystalline dolomite (see thin section Plate VI A). This dolomite is for the most part a beautiful pearly white stone. The belt in which the dolomite occurs is about a third of a mile wide and is known to extend for several miles in a northeast and southwest direction (see map of the area, Figure 30). This stone has been quarried extensively in the past for lime. The chief quarry is located near Chewacla in the NE of the SE. of S. 4, T. 18, R. 27-E. Quarries in this dolomite have been opened at several places in the past, including Echols’ Mills and Springvilla.
“Chemical Analysis shows the stone to be nearly pure dolomite.
“A light colored talc occurs in some of the layers in small streaks and spots and where present in considerable amount would interfere with the use of the stone for ornamental purposes. It is probable that there are portions of the deposits free from the talc impurity, and if prospecting proves this to be the case we would have here a first-class building stone.
“The Chewacla dolomitic marble is almost identical in appearance with the Cockeysville dolomitic marble of Maryland, so much used in and about Baltimore.”
Eureka Division - Extent.
“Under this division is included all the marble belt southwest of the Watters’ Division. This portion of the marble belt is nearly three miles long and has a maximum width of about one-half mile. The marble valley is terminated at the southwest by converging faults, in the SE. corner of S. 14, T. 24-N., R. 16-E.
Bordering Formations.
“From Peckerwood Creek for about a mile to the southwest, the marble is bordered on the northwest side by deep red lands, probably carrying dolomite in large part. From this point on to the southwest the fault is ordered on the west by phyllite of probable Cambrian age which appears identical with the phyllite on the east side of the marble valley.
Natural Exposures.
“This division contains only one quarry but marble has been pitted or occurs in natural outcrops in a number of places. The most conspicuous natural outcrop of marble in this division is to be seen just to the southwest of the quarry of the Eureka White Marble Co. Here for a distance of 150 feet or more a beautiful white marble can be seen in the bed of the branch and in the E. of the SE. of the SW. of S. 12, T. 24-N., R. 16-E (Plate XIX A). Two other exposures in the SE. corner of the same forty can be seen. These show a lower grade marble and also have a different direction of strike. Near the southwest terminus of this division and not far from the church and the bold lime spring in SE. of NW. of S. 13, 2. 24-N., R. 16-E. on the Darden place are several outcrops of banded, blue and white marble. This marble is usually not more than three or four feet below the surface of the floodplain of the little branch along which it is exposed.
Structure.
“The strike of the rocks on the western border of this division, for the most part, makes a considerable angle with the trend of the marble valley.
“There is strong evidence in this division, as there is also in other divisions, of a fault occurring some distance in from the southeast boundary fault and parallel to it.
(Please note: If you would like to read the section on the Eureka White Marble Company/Bishop Marble Company quarry, see:
Peckerwood Creek (near branch of), Alabama - the Eureka White Marble Company (previously operated by the Bishop Marble Co.) in the Eureka Marble Division below)
“To the southeast of the (Eureka White Marble Company)quarry, flat lands continue for more than a quarter of a mile. A well about three hundred feet to the southeast of the quarry has good marble in it. To the northeast of the quarry for three or four hundred feet prospect pits expose good marble at shallow depth.
“Throughout this division there are a large number of lime sinks.”
The Eureka White Marble Company.
Location of Quarry.
“The quarry of this company is located near a branch of Peckerwood Creek at a point just northeast of the natural exposure of marble in the branch referred to above, in the NW. of the SW. of the SE. of S. 12, T. 24-N., R. 16-E. This quarry was opened during 1911-12 by the Bishop Marble Co., and a few blocks were taken out, but on account of not having a railroad to the quarry operations were halted. Under the present management a spur track has been built from the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and the quarry considerably developed.
Soil Cover.
“In the half acre uncovered for the quarry the marble was found at a depth of from 5 to 6 feet below the surface. The covering material seems to be largely transported, and is a yellowish sandy clay with irregularly shaped, more or less cavernous quartz pebbles one-half to two inches in diameter. These quartz pebbles are much more numerous toward the bottom of the mantle rock and frequently made a solid layer from 6 to 12 inches thick over the marble.
Character and Thickness of the Marble.
“There is approximately 80 feet of marble exposed in the quarry opening. None of the layers in the quarry are deep blue but there is some cream white and a large amount of white with a faint bluish tone. The quantity of ‘schist’ in the marble here is small but there are occasionally small inclusions of dolomite masses or lenses which are darker in color than the marble and also much broken. These do not occur in sufficient quantity to be of any great detriment to the marble but their occurrence is of geological interest. If these lenses were originally deposited as dolomite they were less affected by the agents of metamorphism and were fractured by the movements which took place in the marble. If on the other hand it is assumed that these lenses are due to secondary replacement, then their fractured character points either to some movement since their formation which was more felt by the dolomite than by the calcite, or else we must assume that these cracks in the dolomite are due to shrinkage in the change from calcite to dolomite. From the facts in hand it does not seem possible to determine the origin of these lenses.
“The jointing directions in the marble are chiefly N. 75°-80° W. and N. 45° E. and the dip is about 35° E.
“After a concealed interval of about ninety feet below the marble exposed in the quarry, there is to be found in the small branch to the northwest of the quarry an exposure of light colored dolomitic rock a few feet in thickness. Underlying this as seen down the branch toward the north for a distance of about 200 feet, occurs a dark blue magnesian limestone. This is in contact with a crumpled phyllite having an east and west strike.”
Figure 26. Map of the Pratt’s Ferry marble deposits showing geological setting. See Figure 27 (below) for structure of the measures along the line A-B, pp. 87. |
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| Figure 27. Section across the strike through the Pratt’s Ferry marble deposit, showing the basin-like character of the deposit and explaining the absence of outcrop of the marble on the east side of the basin and the sub-carboniferous isolated area on the highland east of the river. The depression in the marble outcrop represents the location of the Cahaba River. The old marble quarry was located on the west bank of the river at this point in the NW. of S. 32 (See map Figure 26 above), pp. 87. |  |
“There are several places in the State where black marble is known to occur, although it has never been worked commercially, for the reason that there is very little market for this stone at the present time. Most of the so-called ‘black marble’ is not a marble at all but is a very dark gray limestone which takes a nearly black polish. (For the character of the grain of this marble see Plate V B.)....
“Black marble of Pelham age is reported from just southeast of Pratt’s Ferry,* Bib county, in S. 33, T. 24, R. 10-E.”
(* Footnote, page 94: Henry McCalley, Report on the Valley Regions of Alabama, Pt. II, p. 499.)
“In the Bowie quarries there is a bed of marble about 20 feet thick of very good color and grade with the exception that it is locally admixed with lenses and irregular occluded masses of dolomite.
“The lower beds of the Bowie Quarry are dolomite with an occasional thin bed or lens of marble. Along the marble dolomite contact zone there is a considerable admixture of dolomite and the marble, showing clearly that this has been a fracture and slipping zone with accompanying drag and occlusions. In the southwest of the two Bowie quarries where the marble bed is best exposed a thin bed or lens of dolomite overlies it. The presence of the dolomite above the marble suggests the possibility of the marble bed being similar to one of the marble beds known to exist in the neighborhood of Pratt’s Ferry, some distance below the top of the Knox Dolomite formation; however, the valley immediately to the east of the Bowie Quarry suggests the presence of marble between the quarry and the Talladega phyllite.
“Marble was successfully produced and marketed form the Bowie quarries for a number of years prior to the war, first by Herd Brothers and then by Bowie, Oden & Co. Much of the stone from the quarries was transported over the old plank road to Montgomery and Wetumpka. Since the war the Bowie quarries have not been successfully worked for marble. They are now the property of the Jenifer Iron Co., and at one time were extensively operated for fluxing material.
(For more information on the Rendalia Marble Quarry District, see:
Rendalia (southeast of), Alabama - the Rendalia Marble Division below)
Rendalia Division - Extent and Exposures
“This division includes that portion of the marble area lying between the offset southeast of Berney’s and the great offset of the marble measures at Sycamore, a distance of 6 miles. In this division there is one good exposure of the marble at the Bowie quarries and another very inconspicuous outcrop on the east side of Jack Mountain, just to the east of Ledbetter’s. No other exposures of marble are known to occur in this division and its presence is alone indicated by the topography and soil.
East of Bowie Quarry
“Just to the east of the Bowie Quarries there is an apparent offset of the measures. From here nearly to Rendalia the marble valley is not well defined, but between Rendalia and Berney’s the valley becomes more distinct and increases in width.
“Along the main fault line from the Bowie Quarries to east of Rendalia occurs a considerable quantity of brown iron-ore which has been pitted in many places. The occurrence of the ore here is similar to the occurrence of the ore in the neighborhood of Ironaton, a few miles to the northeast, where mining of the ore is active at the present time....”
Southwest of Bowie Quarry
To the southwest of the Bowie quarries toward Sycamore there is not in general a well-defined valley between the deep red lands of the Knox Dolomite and the phyllite hills to the east and it is very probable that the marble beds in this portion are locally entirely absent.
“The small exposure of marble on the east slope of Jack Mountain may represent a thin bed of marble in the dolomite. The crest of Jack Mountain, (topographically above the marble exposure but stratigraphically probably below it), is held up by a great mass of very cellular, drusy, Knox chert nodules, resembling the Potosi chert.
Offsets
“The Offsets in the Rendalia Division of the marble belt trend northwest. The most prominent offsets northeast of the Bowie Quarry offset are found near and at the northern terminus of this division in S. 5, T. 20, R. 5-E. and in the NE. portion of S. 32, T. 19, R. 5-E. These offsets give a greater width here to the low-lying and possibly marble-bearing strata than elsewhere in the Rendalia Division.”
(For more information on the Bowie Marble Quarry, see:
Rendalia (southeast of), Alabama - the Bowie Marble Quarry above)
T. L. Fossick Company,
Producers and Wholesale Dealers inDarlington Oolitic Limestone.
Quarries and Mills at Rockwood, Ala.
Largest Plant and Best Facilities in the South.
General Office, Sheffield, Alabama.
The Bangor limestone is located southwest of Russellville and ranges from a 25- to 40-foot thick deposit. The oolitic limestone belt "extends for some 20 miles from Newburg to Belgreen, Alabama." These quarries have been worked since 1878. The stone is known for being soft and easily carved but hardens when exposed to the elements.
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.