newsletter 3-1

Stone. It is plentiful. In various forms, it makes up the crust of the earth. Rough stones were quite possibly first used as weapons, either defending early man from animals or possibly other men. Rough stones were possibly next used as tools, perhaps for cracking nuts or bone, sharp edged stones were used for cutting.
The varied use of stone in the life of man quickly expanded. It was soon learned that with certain stones, by striking one against another, a spark was produced, creating fire. Other, softer stones, it was found, could be shaped into useful items.
The onset of the “Iron Age” gave birth to new means of working with stone. Not only making things easier to cut, but also enabling the persons who became skilled in working with stone to create items that were not only useful and needed, but also items that were appealing to the eye and of lasting quality. The first tool used by a stone carver might be the double-sided face hammer. Weighing between 20 and 30 pounds it was used in the quarries to “rough out” a stone. From the quarry to the finished object, the stonemason had an array of specially made hammers and chisels with which they could reduce the rough stone to an item of beauty.
Stone used for building purposes should possess strength, durability, cheapness and fine appearance. In this part of the country, sandstone is the stone most used. Sandstone is just that– grains of sand held together by a cementing substance such as silica, alumina or an oxide of iron. Sandstone weighs about 150 pounds per square foot. In comparison, limestone and marble weigh about 170 pounds.
The depiction shown below is one of many intricate carvings on the Wood County Courthouse. However, before the first stone was ever placed for the present seat of Wood County government, a local newspaper claimed the stone that was about to be used was not what was specified in the contract. In a public statement the builder relieved concerned minds when he stated that the 30 railroad cars of stone was indeed, blue Amherst, exactly what was specified.

The stone came from the Malone Quarry No.9 in North Amherst, Ohio. Another specification was that it be quarried from at least 60’ below the surface. It was known then that “deep-quarried” stone is softer than shallow quarried stone when first taken out. But, it gets harder than any other stone after it is taken out– the longer it is out, the harder it gets. The present condition of our courthouse should surely attest to the accuracy of their knowledge.
In the years following the Civil War it was finally decided that a railroad bridge would be built across the Ohio River at Parkersburg. Needless to say, huge amounts of stone would be needed for the numerous piers. Different climatic conditions however, required that different types of sandstone be used. The foundations that were below the water line or those that would experience extreme weather came from quarries in Grafton, West Virginia. Generally, the other stone came from Ohio and other West Virginia quarries.