Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Thursday, July 5, 2012
(UNDATED) - Many of America’s historic buildings have something in common - Indiana Limestone.
The use of Limestone dates back to before there was a state of Indiana. Native Americans and early settlers used it before we were admitted to the Union in 1816. The limestone industry began in earnest near Bedford in 1827.
Todd Schnatzmeyer, executive director of the Indiana Limestone Institute of America in Bedford, says demand picked up after the railroad came through, making shipments easier, and especially after several large fires involving wood buildings, such as the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
In addition to numerous structures in this state, such as the Statehouse and the Indiana War Memorial, Indiana Limestone was used in thousands of historic sites; the Empire State Building, the Pentagon, Yankee Stadium, and the entire Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.
Schnatzmeyer says limestone is a finite resource, but says there is enough in Indiana to meet demand for at least the next 500 years.
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