Gravestones To Be

Granite comes from a lot of different places in the world, but Barre gray granite ONLY comes from Barre, Vermont.

We went to the Rock of Ages Company in Graniteville. Normally, you can see 200 busy people cutting and engraving the headstones, but today was Saturday, and nobody works on Saturday. But, we did get to visit the quarry.

Again...normally 25-30 people work in the pit...but not today.

The granite is cut into 40 by 40 squares. HUGE pieces of rock, weighing thousands of tons. Later, it is broken down into smaller pieces that become headstones.

The water color is caused by the dust particles of the granite falling into it.

Want to see some of the results of the drilling and the finishing process?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/124969130@N06/albums/72157658553892645 A local cemetery uses only the granite mined at Rock of Ages. Some real artistry on stone.

Also in the Flickr set...pictures from the outside and inside of the Vermont state capitol, and a few covered bridges.

I should have gone swimming at the falls in front of the Swiftwater covered bridge...but didn't. ;0(