Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
BEDFORD – Limestone can be found all over the world, but south central Indiana and Lawrence County, in particular, are industry leaders.
At one time, Indiana supplied half of all limestone used in buildings and construction and the state remains significant in the volume of stone it supplies.
June is Limestone Month, a time to explore the history and continued cultural and economic contributions of this natural building material. Lawrence County Tourism Commission has planned and collected a month full of activities, including tours of a quarry and cut stone operation.
Demand is strong
Todd Schnatzmeyer, executive director of the Indiana Limestone Institute, said demand for limestone continues to be strong.
“Architects are still designing with limestone,” he said. “A lot of stone from Lawrence County goes into prominent projects on the eastern seaboard, Michigan and California. The demand is still very high. Like every industry it’s a matter of resources, getting enough stone out of the ground and having enough employees.”
The makeup of the industry has evolved with fewer independent quarries today compared to generations ago, but Schnatzmeyer said there has also been growth of companies such as Diamond Stone Technologies, a limestone vendor in Bedford that manufactures diamond segmented tooling to cut natural stone.
Lawrence County still has a number of stone businesses that have been around for decades such as Architectural Stone Sales and Bedford Limestone Suppliers, now owned by Texacon.
Polycor, based in Quebec, merged with Indiana Limestone Co. in 2018 and later acquired Elliott Stone and, more recently, Evans Limestone.
Earthworks, based in Perryville, Missouri, is one of the newer stone companies to set up a quarry operation in Lawrence County.
Developing the next generation of stone industry employees is key to the industry’s continued success, Schnatzmeyer said.
“The industry offers fantastic opportunities, from cutting stone, carving stone and computer machining. It’s a very high tech world now,” he said. “A lot of cut stone operations are controlled by computers. There are still a lot of opportunities for younger kids, it’s a matter of making them aware.”
When considering the many iconic buildings made of limestone – the Empire State Building, the National Cathedral – Schnatzmeyer said being part of that process makes for a rewarding career.
“One of the coolest things about this industry, from my perspective, is to see a piece of stone get cut, carved and wind up on a building.”
Limestone Month
Since the early 1800s, Lawrence County’s rich limestone quarrying and carving history has set this Indiana county apart. As a major supplier of quality limestone to the world, Indiana limestone structures are found in South America, Canada, England, and of course, America.
The Empire State Building in New York, Chicago’s Tribune Tower, several federal buildings in Washington D.C. including the Pentagon, and the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials are all constructed with Indiana limestone.
Limestone was adopted by the Indiana General Assembly as the official state stone in 1971.
Limestone Month has been celebrated annually in Lawrence County since 2007.
The following activities are being offered:
- June 14 & 28, 10 a.m.: Green Hill Cemetery Tours. Take this free guided walking tour and see intricate headstones, learn about the limestone industry’s connection to the cemetery and hear interesting stories about some who have been laid to rest there. Call Lawrence County Tourism at (812) 849-1090 to register.
- June 15 & 22, 10 a.m.: 3D Stone Tours. Take a free tour through this industry-leading limestone facility. Attendees must be over 18 and wear closed-toe shoes. A hard hat will be provided. Limited space is available. Pre-registration is required, Call Lawrence County Tourism at (812) 849-1090 to register.
- June 16-17: Judah Heritage Festival. The Judah Heritage Festival has festival food, carnival rides, parade, fireworks and live entertainment.
- June 17, 2 p.m.: What Do Railroads Do? Indiana University Professor David Nord discusses the importance of the railroad to the local limestone industry. This free presentation will be delivered in the Pioneer Village at Spring Mill State Park.
- June 20, 9 a.m.: Indiana Limestone A Polycor Inc. Company. Tour a premier supplier of Indiana Limestone since 1926. Attendees must be over 18 and wear closed-toe shoes. Limited space is available. Pre-registration is required. Call Lawrence County Tourism at (812) 849-1090 to register.
- June 22 & 29, 6 p.m.: Limestone & Lemonade. For $15 per participant, sip lemonade while you paint limestone keepsakes. On June 22, the location will be in Bedford. Then on June 29, the location will be in Mitchell. Go to this link for more information and to make reservations. LimestoneCountry.com/tag/limestone-and-lemonade
- June 23-25: 58th annual Gem, Mineral, Fossil Show at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds, see row and rows of jewelry, gems, rocks, fossils and science projects demonstrating the importance of local limestone and minerals. Admission is free.
- June 23-24: Limestone Heritage Festival. Limestone Month culminates during Limestone Heritage Festival on the square in downtown Bedford.Cele brating the importance of limestone, the local community comes together for a parade, live music, food trucks, vendors, a fascinating limestone carving demonstration and fireworks.
- June 23-24: Limestone Carving Exhibit. See a live limestone carving demonstration, and maybe even try it yourself! Vote for your favorite limestone piece. Free limestone rock painting for children. Free cake and punch. Hours are 5- 8 p.m. June 23 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 24.
- June 24: Limestone Volkswalk. Free guided walk winds through downtown Bedford. Discover limestone buildings, statues and landmarks. Meet Teena Ligman at the Hardee’s parking lot in Bedford at 9 a.m.
- June 24-25: Limestone Weekend at Spring Mill State Park. Check out LimestoneCountry.com/event/Limestone-Weekend-2 for the schedule of events.
- June 27, 6 p.m.: Take A Stroll Through History. Take a free guided stroll through the northside district of Bedford. Meet Teena Ligman and Marla Jones at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1219 14th St., Bedford. RSVP to Bedford Parks Dept. (812) 275-5692 by June 26.