BUILDING A NATION: COMMUNICATING INDIANA’S DIMENSION STONE LEGACY

Indiana limestone is trademarked as “The Nation’s Building Stone,” having been used extensively in building projects across the United States. Quarried from a narrow, irregular band approximately 10 miles wide and 30 miles long, the small exposure of 340 to 335 million-year-old stone has supplied up to 75 percent of the limestone used in North American buildings. Known for its particular strength, durability, and ageless beauty, this unique material has dominated the national market as a premier building stone for more than 150 years.

The legacy of Indiana limestone has been the principal focus of geoheritage efforts by staff at the Indiana Geological and Water Survey for more than 20 years. The stone’s uniform composition and absence of prounounced bedding or grain allow it to be cut and carved in any direction, thus attracting carvers and artists from around the world. Additionally, its extenstive use in American infrastructure throughout the 19^th and 20^th centuries has garnered attention from architects and historic preservationists, as well as those interested in the genealogical and cultural history surrounding the stone industry. Recent geoheritage efforts have connected with these nontraditional audiences to bring greater understanding of the geological connections to this significant dimension stone. We will outline exhibitions, walking tours, historic photograph archives, community festivals, and other ongoing community outreach activities related to Indiana limestone and discuss future plans to celebrate the stone that built a nation.