NT - Crab Orchard Stone

[Edsel]

This is off-topic, but some of you may find welcomed relief from the cares of the virus and the pressure placed on us by stilted reading of the CARES act and other mind-bending storms of the day.

Many of us attended Rita's gathering a couple years ago - I was very happy to meet many of you in person.  In her area of the country there is a unique natural phenomenon.  Probably very familiar to Rita, but for the rest of us?  So unique there isn't any more of it anywhere in the world.

Crab Orchard Stone.  So-named from the small village which in days past grew several groves of crabapple trees.  The stone is multi-colored sandstone - predominantly rose-colored, but with gorgeous streaks of blue and other colors.  It is found in layers of limerock/sandstone in a small area near the town.  And not found anywhere else on earth.  Several houses in the area are built with this, compiling cut stone upon stone.

Sandstone is so gritty it can be broken in two with your bare hands.  But this stone can be shaved into very thin siding for houses as well as simply stacked one upon another.  Houses that use this siding showcase streaks of colors - not vivid but quite pastel.  In spite of being easily broken, this sandstone is geologically indestructible.  Nothing erodes it - not rain, not wind, not acid, nor any pollutants.  The houses built with this look just as beautiful as when first built.  Even the huge limestone caves are formed because rain will erode limestone and leave the sandstone intact.  There are more limestone caves in Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Alabama than the rest of the world combined.

Crab Orchard Stone was discovered about 100 years ago, and commercial mining began in 1926-27.  It was sent all over the world, but nowhere can it be seen in greater abundance than a 30-mile radius of the town.  By 1961 it was felt that the availability of the stone was becoming depleted.  One of the mines still exists, but the stone is now harder to find, and harder to reach, thus the mining process is not as economic as in days gone by. 

The small town of Crab Orchard is easily seen from I-40, stretching narrowly for about a mile parallel to the interstate.  Next time you're in Tennessee and travel from Knoxville to Nashville, you can't miss it in daylight.  And now you will know what it is known for.

 

[Lion EA]

Thanx, Edsel. I have a couple TN clients, so I showed off my local knowledge, thanks to you.