National Register of Historic Places: Ross Marble Quarry

Abstract

As described in the Multiple Property Submission, “Marble Industry of East Tennessee, ca. 1838-1963,” the marble industry was once an important sector of the regional economy. By the early 1850s, the varicolored marble quarried in East Tennessee began to be sought by architects and patrons for public buildings, such as state houses, court houses, and custom houses, after it was chosen for the interiors of the Tennessee State Capitol and the United States Capitol “Extensions.” The Ross Marble Quarry contributed to the second phase of industry growth, in which the modern marble industry developed primarily in the Knoxville area. The quarries developed by John M. Ross provided marble for two exemplary museum buildings: the Morgan Library (1906) and the National Gallery of Art (1941).