Stone Quarries

One of the first large quarries in the Alderson section was a brownstone quarry on Griffith's creek. All of the stone was shipped, and no local building is known to have used brown stone. The business was known as Alderson Brownstone Company and was owned by Virginia interests. The manager was William Housby. There are large quantities oil' the high grade brownstone, which for years was a fashionable building material in the East, on Griffith's Creek. The company had at narrow gauge railroad to the Greenbrier where it had a ferry across the river and loaded stone on the C. &, O. freight cars. The company operated for many years and went out of business about 1904.

During the past twenty five years there have been several small quarries which have been operated on the top of Muddy Creek Mountain. They have quarried a beautiful, decorative sandstone known as Alderson Stone, Greenbrier Stone or Muddy Creek Mountain Stone. The first quarry was opened by J. Wesley Hanger probably about 1935. One or two others quarried for a time. Now but one quarry operates; it is owned by Howard Fields who started it in 1945. It is known as Fields’ Stone Quarry. Fields lives in Alderson in a home on Maple Avenue completely built of his stone.

This unusual sandstone lies in a stratum about eight feet thick, divided in about twenty-five layers of stone of varying thickness and colors. They are light pink, tan, of various pastels. Because the stone is of such variety of hues and thicknesses, decorative masonry work made of it indoors or out, is very attractive. Mr. Fields has a hydraulic press which cuts the stone in pieces four inches wide of various lengths. He ships by truck to his customers over a wide area. The stone costs $35 per ton at the quarry. Mr. Fields has never advertised.

The quantity of the stone on Muddy Creek Mountain or on Flat Top Mountain has not been estimated. Although Mr. Fields had some core drills made, he was not able to estimate his reserve. He employs four or five men.

Near Alderson there are several stratum of various kinds, shades and hues of stone not being quarried. Some of it may have commercial possibilities.
Ref: History of Summers County, Miller, 1908 Howard Fields.

Next: Acme Limestone

The contents contained in this series is copyrighted and the sole property of The Greenbrier Historical Society - Lewisburg, WV
Used by permission - November 18, 2008