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Marble is a natural material which means it has been formed by the elements and nature instead of by man. Marble is a solid material often used for such things as: Floors, Walls, and Monuments
But how is marble made?
Marble is made from the metamorphism (which is a type of crystallizing process) of different sedimentary carbonate rocks. These rocks are usually dolomite or limestone rock both of which can be found in the state of Alabama, but most of the time marble comes from limestone. (Wikipedia)
Marble is formed when limestone is subjected to great pressure and heat under the surface and the calcite is turned into other crystals the color is determined by other substances in the limestone
After the crystallizing process is complete, the rocks have a new structure which is called marble. The intricate detail you often see in marble is not man made, it is the small crystals of rock that fused together to make the marble. The veins and swirls on the marble is also various mineral impurities such as clay, silt or sand that may at one point have been a sedimentary layer in the limestone. (Wikipedia)
Care must be taken when mining marble. It does not split easily in uniform sheets and it may shatter if explosives are used. Marble must be mined by cutting grooves and holes in the rock and separating blocks with wedges. Diamond tipped saws are also used at various stages in the mining process. (Alabama Encyclopedia)
The final form of the marble is determined by the composition and purity of the original limestone or dolomite. Marble may be white, pink, gray, red, or black in color, depending on the impurities in the original limestone or dolomite. The purest calcite marble is white. Marble containing hematite has a reddish color while marble containing limonite is yellow and marble containing serpentine is green/blue/black. (Alabama Encyclopedia)
The most popular type of marble is the white marble. The pure white variety is formed from very pure dolomite or limestone.
The city of Sylacauga is often refered to as the Marble City. Sylacauga sits atop a bed of mostly white Madre Cream marble 32 miles long, a mile and a half wide, and 400 feet deep. when Quarries started opening in the mid 1800's the population of the town grew significantly. it is said that even though the marble has been mined for over 100 years, there shold be enough to last for up to 200 more years. (Alabama Encyclopedia)
Sylacauga marble has been praised by sculptors as equivalent to Italy's famous Carrara marble and has been called the "world's whitest". It has been mined for over 160 years, and is used for building, sculpture, and by the paper industry. It has also been used in such monuments as the bust of Abraham Lincoln which resides in the United States Capitol rotunda. It was used for the ceilings in the Lincoln Memorial, and was also used in Washington Monument and for the interiors of the United States Supreme Court Building. The Alabama legislature declared marble as the official State Rock in 1969. (Wikipedia)
The Coords take you to the steps Alabama State Capitol Building on Goat Hill. the steps are made from Sylacauga Marble and were placed there in 1942. Even the planters on the edge of the stairs are made from Sylacauga Marble.
The current structure is the state's fourth purpose-built capitol building, with the first at Cahaba, the second at Tuscaloosa, and the last two in Montgomery. The first capitol building in Montgomery, located where the current building stands, burned after only two years. The current building was completed in 1851, although additional wings were added over the course of the following 140 years. (Wikipedia)
The current capitol building also temporarily served as the Confederate Capitol while Montgomery served as the first political capital of the Confederate States of America in 1861, before being moved to Richmond, Virginia.
It was here that the third Selma to Montgomery march ended on March 25, 1965, with 25,000 protesters at the foot of the capitol steps on Dexter Avenue. Prominent protesters included Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph Abernathy, Coretta Scott King, Ralph Bunche, Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young, A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, John Lewis, James Baldwin, Harry Belafonte, and Joan Baez. A delegation from the protestors attempted to see Governor George Wallace to give him a petition that asked for an end to racial discrimination in Alabama. (Wikipedia)
To log this earthcache send the answers to the following questions in an email:
1. From the bottom of the stairs facing the capitol building, walk up 25 stairs and go to the right side of the stairs. look at the wall panel at the end of the stairs (the planter). tell me what kind of impurities (veins and swirls) do you see on the panel you are looking at (color and size of the impurities).
2. based on the color information above, what type of impurity is in the rock on the wall panel?
3. feel the same panel from question #1 & 2 and now feel the steps nearby. Is there any evidence of Erosion from rain, foot traffic erosion, or any sun damage? If so what kind of damage is there?
4. Besides the beauty of marble, why do you think that this Marble is the best stone to use for the stairs?
5. Post a picture of you and or your group of cachers if possible.
Have fun with this earthcache, its my first one. If you need any help just let me know
DO NOT include answers to these questions in your log. if you do, encrypted or not, your log will be deleted without warning.
If you want to learn more about the state rock of Alabama, there is an exhibit on the 2nd floor of the Archives on Washington street which is to the right of the capitol building (if you are facing the capitol building) and there is no charge to enter.
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