Limestone blocks from Arkansas were used in the construction of a number of historic buildings, including the Washington National Monument.
Mining represents a large part of the Arkansas economy, home to nearly 11,000 jobs in the industry as of 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nicknamed "The Natural State," Arkansas and its Ozark and Ouachita Mountains feature a number of limestone quarries and other geological resources. Does this Spark an idea?
Beaver Lake
Several companies mine limestone and other rock throughout the northwest corner of the state between Beaver Lake and the city of Springdale. Today, limestone mining continues at the Hindsville Quarry in east Springdale and at the Carroll County Stone-Quarry east of Beaver Lake in Berryville. Companies in this area produce limestone for both construction and decorative purposes.
Ouachita Mountains
This mountain range that runs through the southern half of Arkansas has been quarried for limestone intermittently since the early 20th century. Smith County Stone operates limestone mining in Lockesburg, approximately 10 miles east of the Oklahoma border and 50 miles north of the Red River border with Texas. In the mountains themselves, formations of limestone, sandstone and shale can be seen standing hundreds of feet tall.
Independence County
The northeast corner of the state features the Scheid Quarry, Wideman Quarry, and Batesville Gray Marble Quarry. These quarries are situated in Batesville or on unincorporated territory in the northeast part of Independence County. Limestone mining in the county dates back at least to 1906 by a company that still exists as Arkansas Lime Company. The area produces limestone and dolostone, a rock formed of the mineral dolomite.
Buildings with Arkansas Limestone
In 1936, a quarry in Independence County donated some of the limestone used to construct the Washington National Monument. Other buildings include the Natural Resources Building at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and several banks and municipal buildings around the Midwest.
Tags: Beaver Lake, Independence County, corner state, limestone mining, National Monument, Ouachita Mountains
