There are very few products that we can say are 100% American made, but granite isn’t one of them. 

Granite monuments are one of the ever decreasing number of products that are still manufactured in America. Vermont and Minnesota are two regions that are most associated with granite monuments.  These two states are certainly not the only producers are this beautiful stone. Many other areas boast large amounts of natural granite — from Texas to the mountains of Colorado, California and even Canada.

Granite was first mined in America in the 1700’s however the demand for granite didn’t start until the early 1800’s. A veteran of Bunker Hill and the War of 1812, by the name of Robert Parker, is given credit for beginning the commercial production of high-grade granite in Barre, Vermont.  Granite started being used for monuments and memorials and drew in many European immigrants.  Barre, Vermont quickly became known as the “granite capital of the world”. By the early 1900s there were more than 60 operational granite companies throughout the state.

Shortly after the success in Barre, Vermont, Henry Alexander from Scotland made his way to America to fulfill a dream in granite.  He arrived in Rockville Minnesota in 1880 and by 1890 started a company with seven others called Rockville Granite Company. In 1899 he bought out his partners and became sole owned of the company. Henry was succeeded by his sons Pat and John, and wife Maggie. In 1919 Cold Spring, Minnesota was surveyed to develop in granite production and by 1924 the company’s name changed to Cold Spring Granite Company. 

Granite’s durability makes it extremely popular. There are an array of uses for it from building to memorializing someone. Experts believe it unlikely the world will experience a shortage of granite in the next few thousand years.  Americans should feel safe in that granite is something we need not import.  We can keep American dollars in American soil and memorialize a loved one in the process.