It’s a Maine Thing - Hezzy’s Sidewalk Talk

Maine granite rocks! The interesting patterns and colors that hold a share of Maine’s geologic and social history in each piece is another one of the unique wonders of Maine’s timeless mystique. Whether or not your relationship with granite is when hiking on Maine’s mountains where you experience the courseness of its’ texture underfoot, or having a Maine granite countertop in your kitchen or you recognize the indigenous rock on many of the monuments in Washington DC, granite is the bedrock of what Mainers are about. Living in Maine and being surrounded by this earthy material keeps us in touch with the natural world around us, the illustrious history of granite and the affect that purchasing it can have on our energy footprint today. The story of granite and it’s implications on the current environmental mess we are in is a captivating tale.

As we each are examining our lives and taking stock in the carbon footprint that we are all responsible for, many of us are making consumer based choices with that consideration in mind. Keeping an eye to the energy consumption meter and then participating in the obvious such as recycling, reusing and repurposing are simple measures that we have control over with results that bring instant gratification. Then there is the economic side of things where decisions are made in regards to transportation of goods and many times those decisions are out of our hands because of the huge infrastructure that has evolved in the western world for the free-flow of goods that ultimately brings convenience to the consumer through price and availability. However, here in Maine we have many opportunities to work within our own communities to find products, materials and foods that are produced locally by industrious, talented entrepreneurs that require very little energy use in regards to transportation. Too many times these choices are overlooked which is unfortunate because we can support local farmers by purchasing food through the ever-popular farmer’s markets and eat seafood harvested from the Gulf of Maine. Materials for home improvement projects and decisions based on availability of particular naturally harvested products as wood can be purchased through local companies right here in Maine. Another opportunity is purchasing Maine made granite from one of the many quarries in Maine. It’s practical. You can be a local hero and reap the satisfaction of buying locally and supporting a Maine business. The carbon footprint gets real small with locally purchased Maine granite.

Granite is the darling of kitchen remodeling. It looks great, is practical and comes in a range of colors. And guess what, one does not need to be seduced by the amazing granite samples from places like Bolivia, Iran, China and points unknown to end up with a great looking kitchen. Right here in Maine we have an amazing range of granite types to choose from, all with their own significant characteristics, that fit into most people’s budgets and tastes. Why choose a product that requires so much energy, primarily a result of transportation, when you can travel not far from your home to find a great piece for your project. Gibran Buell at Sullivan Granite Works, 207-669-8264, in the eastern Maine town of Sullivan is one of those industrious quarry owners who can do the job. His quarry is known for its trademark Sullivan granite that is primarily gray with inclusions of feldspar randomly peppered throughout by mother nature. Another favorite of ours is Jonesboro granite, with its range of lovely pink speckles and black feldspar particles. A current kitchen project in Ellsworth call for both Sullivan and Jonesboro granite that has transformed a dull, tile kitchen surface into a sensational addition to the room. The primary granite of origin is only 10 miles down the road. A major component to the homeowner’s decision to use Maine granite was made on looking at what it was going to take to get the granite, which has been the underpinning of Maine’s landscape for millions of years, to their house…1/2 gallon of gas. Not bad. Plus the homeowner has had the pleasure of working with a Maine business. 

Granite has played an important and significant role in Maine’s history going back to the 1820’s when it was first quarried. Although historians are uncertain as to where and when the first quarry was established it is apparent that the early quarries were the result of small-time entrepreneurs who saw opportunities within the building industry as cities, towns and settlements were being established after the American Revolution. Following the Civil War the granite industry expanded swiftly in Maine as a result of the Industrial Revolution, and the extraordinary growth of America’s new cities, which created unprecedented demand for Maine granite for buildings, roads and paving blocks.  Paving blocks made from Sullivan granite was the most popular choice of material in Philadelphia because of their resistance to wear and low maintenance costs. The trademark granite from Crotch Island off of Stonington was used in the JFK Memorial and the US Treasury Building, also in Washington, required granite from Dix Island for its fluted columns. For more information on this important piece of Maine history and geology visit the Maine Granite Industry Historic Museum in Somesville, located on Mount Desert Island. www.mainegraniteindustry.org.

When one looks at a geologic map of the state it is apparent that much of the Downeast region of eastern Maine and Mountain Upland area of inland sections from the New Hampshire border northeast to Mount Katahdin  lie on major granite plutons.  Many of Maine’s signature mountains, like Mount Katahdin and Cadillac Mountain, are made of the igeneous rock known as granite although not all of Maine’s mountain areas were the result of the same geologic activity. However, for most of us in Maine a quarry is close-by. So for the next home improvement project don’t head to Lowes or a showroom gallery filled with granite from far away. Be a local hero. Shop in Maine for the beautiful granite that is a piece of Maine’s geologic history.  Afterall, it makes for a much better story when Maine Home and Design magazine shows up to do the profile on your project.

Quarry photo courtesy of Maine Geological Survey.

Fireplace photo courtesy of Freshwater Stone.