Georgia Marble Company
Encyclopedia
The Georgia Marble Company was founded in 1884 by Henry Fitzsimmons. Fitzsimmons leased out all the land in Pickens County, Georgia
, that contained rich Georgia marble. Pickens County has a vein of marble 5 to 7 mi (8 to 11.3 km) long, half as wide and 2000 feet (609.6 m) deep.
for the same purpose since as early as 800 AD. In 1884, Fitzsimmons founded the Georgia Marble Company, and leased out the land for others to use. In 1905 Colonel Sam Tate partnered with Earl Mayes Caldwell and the two became co-presidents and general managers of the company. The business grew rapidly, until concrete began to replace marble in buildings. In 1969, with business falling, the company was purchased by Jim Walter Corporation. Over the next few decades it changed hands several times, passing through ownership by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Compan, Hillsborough Holding Corporation, First Chicago Corporation and IMERYS. Finally, in 2003, Georgia Marble Company was acquired by Polycor.
in Pickens County reached a depth of 26.7 feet (8.1 m), and flooded the county including the Georgia Marble Company plant, which was covered with one foot of water.
annex
, the statue
in the Lincoln Memorial
in Washington, D.C.
, the National Air and Space Museum
, the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art
, the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland, and the Buckingham Fountain
in Chicago
.
Pickens County, Georgia
Pickens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The 2000 Census showed a population of 22,983. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 30,488...
, that contained rich Georgia marble. Pickens County has a vein of marble 5 to 7 mi (8 to 11.3 km) long, half as wide and 2000 feet (609.6 m) deep.
Company history
In the 1830s Henry Fitzsimmons established the first marble quarry in Pickens County, which was part of the Murphy Marble Belt. The land had been used by Native AmericansIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
for the same purpose since as early as 800 AD. In 1884, Fitzsimmons founded the Georgia Marble Company, and leased out the land for others to use. In 1905 Colonel Sam Tate partnered with Earl Mayes Caldwell and the two became co-presidents and general managers of the company. The business grew rapidly, until concrete began to replace marble in buildings. In 1969, with business falling, the company was purchased by Jim Walter Corporation. Over the next few decades it changed hands several times, passing through ownership by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Compan, Hillsborough Holding Corporation, First Chicago Corporation and IMERYS. Finally, in 2003, Georgia Marble Company was acquired by Polycor.
Flood
On January 7, 1946 the Etowah RiverEtowah River
The Etowah River is a waterway that rises northwest of Dahlonega, Georgia, north of Atlanta. Its name is the Cherokee version of the original Muskogee word Etalwa, which means a "trail crossing". On Matthew Carey's 1795 map the river was labeled "High Town River"...
in Pickens County reached a depth of 26.7 feet (8.1 m), and flooded the county including the Georgia Marble Company plant, which was covered with one foot of water.
Notable buildings
The Georgia Marble Company supplied the marble used to build the New York Stock ExchangeNew York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
annex
Annex
Annex or Annexe may refer to:* Annex , a Marvel Comics character* Annex, an early name for the Bangkok Adventist Hospital* Annex, addendum or appendix at the end of a book or report* Annex, an addition or extension...
, the statue
Abraham Lincoln (1920 statue)
Abraham Lincoln is a colossal seated figure of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln sculpted by Daniel Chester French and carved by the Piccirilli Brothers. It is situated in the Lincoln Memorial , on the National Mall, Washington, D.C., USA, and was unveiled in 1922...
in the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, the National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
, the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden is a national art museum, located on the National Mall between 3rd and 9th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW, in Washington, DC...
, the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland, and the Buckingham Fountain
Buckingham Fountain
Buckingham Fountain is a Chicago landmark in the center of Grant Park. Dedicated in 1927, it is one of the largest fountains in the world. Built in a rococo wedding cake style and inspired by the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles, it is meant to allegorically represent Lake Michigan...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.