I do like industrial tours! My next tour was Rock of Ages, which is a granite company. I stopped at the company store/visitor center and bought a ticket. A few minutes later, Todd, the guide, called us to the van to drive us up to the quarry.
On our way up to the vantage point to look into the quarry, we passed these huge piles of rock. Todd told us that they were called grout piles. He said that the term came from the Scottish workers who came to work the quarries.
Todd told us that holes were drilled down around the piece of granite they were going to quarry. After they drilled the line of holes around the block, they drilled out the “web” between the holes. To free the block on the bottom, they drilled a line of holes, but instead of drilling out the web between the holes, they filled them with primer cord and blasted it free. They used just the right amount of explosive – they didn’t want to turn the block into gravel.
You can see where they have been taking out the blocks which measure 10 feet by five feet by five feet. I took some notes – I think they call those big blocks “benches”. They weigh between six and seven tons each. they can only go so far down before they have to widen the quarry. The pressure of the granite above pushes down and makes it impossible to get the benches cut out.
Todd told us that the light blue-green water is due to the granite dust from the quarrying.
In this shot, you can see three quarries. The ones on the left side are not being worked any longer.
The derricks on the edge of the quarry are used to raise the benches. There are 12 miles of cable involved in the derricks. He told us that around 60 miners work on the companies quarries and that 200 people work in the factory.
After looking at the quarry we went back down to the factory. It was quitting time, but I could still look at the factory floor.
They were preparing memorials to go into the sand blasting cabinet.
I love how the roller tracks go all over. It must be something to see when they are working. Oe of these days a factory will be working when I visit!
Todd told us about the granite bowling alley that we could see and he kind of indicated where it was on the grounds.
After I left the factory, I saw this sign and decided to explore. I had this mental image of granite balls and pins. Cool!
It turns out that the alley is granite. The balls and pins are plastic.
We were invited to try it. We had to do our oun pin setting so that it was ready for the next players.
The pins didn’t have much to fear from me. I retrieved the balls and continued on my way.
Todd recommended that we might enjoy stopping by the local cemetery. With a town full of granite workers, there were some interesting memorials he thought we might enjoy. I got the directions and headed that way on my way back to Onion River Campground.
The first memorial that caught my eye was this one that was obviously purchased “pre-need”. Planning ahead is a great idea. I just find it odd that neither one of these people were named Albert, Alfonse, Alberta or Allison.
Al Dente – get it?
The Arnholm clan has staked their claim to a large section of the cemetery.
This memorial was like none I’d every seen before. Not only were they pyramid-shaped, they came with instructions.
You were supposed to read inscriptions in a certain order. Then, under those little disks on the pedestal, there were QR codes that you could scan with your phone for further information.
You know what those QR codes are, right? I’ve never scanned them, but I’ve seen them around. Incidentally, QR stands for Quick Response, and it it the trademark for a type of matrix barcode first designed for the automotive industry in Japan. The one above an example I found on the internet. The QR codes on the pedestal were worn off.
This one had a delicately carve chain.
Loved ones names are etched into the links of the chain.
This guy had a favorite car, I think.
The orange decoration says “51 FOREVER”. I did a little Googling to see if I could spot the reference. I think it might have been NASCAR Number 51.
I like all the little remembrances left by the loved ones. Lots of little cars.
Soccer was obviously a favorite sport of this person.
Speaking of interesting shapes, this cube standing on its corner. Each face had tributes to the couple memorialized.
I heard at some place or other that this irregular surface is a difficult to create – it’s called rusticated, I think. Cesare Colombo must have been a master craftsman – or else he knew one.
I found some more of those interesting flag holders.
Here is one from the Spanish-American War.
This one is related to the Civil War, I think.
This ship carving is quite delicate, too.
And he was a veteran of the 1st World War. Obviously, this was placed sometime after the 1940s.
These markers aren’t over the top, but they are so nicely crafted and made of the same granite. The effect is quite lovely.
Just in case I’ve hooked you on looking at these flag holders, this is the one that was next to the BECK memorial.
Here is a couple that is holding hands forever.
Just a close up of the sweet artwork on the memorial.
This is one piece of funerary art that I would like some context for. It looks like a memorial for soldier fallen in battle or for a nurse during a war.
Given the years on the individual markers, it’s not the Civil War.
It has been a long day, and it was time to head back to the campground. I guess I have to …
