If youâre in the stone monument business, or have any insight into the American granite industry in general, youâll know the importance of the town of Elberton in Georgia. Located just over two hours from the bustling heart of Georgia in Atlanta, Elberton has long been known as the âgranite capital of the worldâ. It sits on a large deposit of beautiful, high quality blue-grey granite and serves the granite needs of just about every state in America. If you see this distinctive hue of granite being used in a monument, building or memorial nearby, itâs almost certainly to have been mined in Elberton.
Not all granite is created equally, and there is are a multitude of reasons why Elberton granite is highly sought after by most of the American granite industry:
Given the size of the granite block that sits directly underneath Elberton, itâs not surprising to find out that there are over 45 granite quarries and over 150 processing sheds located in or near the town. Each quarry has its own way of excavating the granite, so when youâre looking for high quality American stone to work with, youâll have plenty of options when you work with any of the Elberton quarries. Youâll want to make sure that you have a good idea of the size and scope of your project, as this will help you to find the right granite provider for your sandblasting needs.
The town of Elberton was established in 1803, but quickly gained notoriety as the local granite deposits were discovered in the latter part of that century. It was incorporated as a city in 1896, and the population has varied between 5,000 and 10,000 since then. Granite has been a main industry in Elberton for over a century, which means that when you work with a local quarry or granite manufacturer, youâre benefiting from decades of stone working experience and expert finishing techniques, giving you the highest quality product for your sandblasting work.
The Elberton Granite Association employs over 1,500 of these people to complete the supply chain from excavation through final processing, and itâs naturally the largest employer in town. The association was founded in 1951 as a way to help regulate quality and prices for Elberton granite, and it is now the largest trade association of granite quarriers and manufacturers anywhere in the United States, representing over 150 different member firms. Working with any member of the Elberton Granite Association assures you of high quality and the expertise that comes with the long standing granite experience in the area.
If youâre interested to see where your granite comes from, you wonât be disappointed with a trip to Elberston. Beyond visiting a couple of the quarries to check out how they get the raw stone out of the ground, youâll need to check out the Elberton Granite Museum for a detailed history of the area, as well as an in-depth look at the geology of the area and how all the high quality granite came to be located in this pocket of Georgia. You can also find a variety of local sandblasting experts who will be willing to show you how they work with the unique structure of Elberton granite to get the best designs. Youâll come away inspired and informed, ready to make your next sandblasting project an all-American success story.