Marble, Colorado

Last updated

Town of Marble, Colorado
Statutory Town
DSCN2642 marbleblocksinmarble 600.jpg
Blocks of cut marble at the historic quarry in Marble
Gunnison County Colorado Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Marble Highlighted 0848555.svg
Location of Marble in Gunnison County, Colorado.
Coordinates: 39°04′18″N107°11′27″W / 39.07167°N 107.19083°W / 39.07167; -107.19083
Country Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
State Flag of Colorado.svg  Colorado
County [1] Gunnison
Incorporated1899
Government
 • Type Statutory Town [1]
Area
[2]
 • Total0.36 sq mi (0.93 km2)
 • Land0.36 sq mi (0.93 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
[3]
8,009 ft (2,441 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total133
 • Density370/sq mi (140/km2)
Time zone UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code [4]
81623
Area code 970
FIPS code 08-48555
GNIS feature ID 2412952 [3]
Website www.townofmarble.com

The Town of Marble is a Statutory Town in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 133 at the 2020 United States Census. [5]

Contents

History

The Town of Marble was first incorporated in 1899. Marble remains a statutory town of the State of Colorado today.

The quarry

The town is the location of a historic Yule Marble quarry along the mountains that began operations in the late 19th century, and from which the town draws its name. It has been used for the Tomb of the Unknowns, as well as for parts of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and civic buildings in San Francisco. It was also used for the construction of the Equitable Building, a historically important early skyscraper in New York City.

The marble of the quarry is considered to be of exceptional quality, praised as one of the purest marbles ever quarried and a rival to classical Italian and Greek marble. It is nearly pure calcite marble with minor inclusions of mica, quartz, and feldspar, and has irregularly shaped calcite grains ranging from 100 to 600 micrometers in diameter. According to physical tests of the marble, its strength is comparable to marble typically used in building construction. [6]

The quarry has enjoyed a renaissance since its acquisition in 2004 by Polycor, a Canadian-based dimension stone company, and subsequent sale to Italian group R.E.D. Graniti S.p.A. In spite of significant transportation costs, this high-quality stone is now exported in large quantities to Europe and Asia for transformation and use throughout the world, as well as being sold into the US market. [7]

Tourism

In the late 20th century and the 21st century, Marble has become a summer tourist destination. It is also the gateway to the nearby Crystal townsite. It is the site of the Marble/marble sculpting symposium held every summer since 1988. [8]

Seven sites within Marble have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [9]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2), all of it land.

The community is located in a valley of the upper Crystal River along the Elk Mountains, accessible by a paved road from State Highway 133. Unlike most of Gunnison County, the town is located on the north side of Schofield Pass which is inaccessible to most cars and thus is separated geographically from the rest of Gunnison County.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1900 101—
1910 782674.3%
1920 81−89.6%
1930 217167.9%
1940 24010.6%
1950 8−96.7%
1960 5−37.5%
1970 13160.0%
1980 30130.8%
1990 64113.3%
2000 10564.1%
2010 13124.8%
2020 1331.5%

Education

Marble Charter School (MCS) is a public, tuition-free charter school located in Marble. The school serves K-8 students in the Crystal River Valley. [10]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway</span> Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway

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References

  1. 1 2 "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
  2. ↑ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  3. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Marble, Colorado
  4. ↑ "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original (JavaScript/HTML) on November 4, 2010. Retrieved November 18, 2007.
  5. ↑ "Race, Hispanic or Latino, Age, and Housing Occupancy: 2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File (QT-PL), Marble town, Colorado". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  6. ↑ McGee, Elaine S. (1999). "Colorado Yule Marble—Building Stone of the Lincoln Memorial" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin (2162): 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 9, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  7. ↑ "A diamond in the rough : R.E.D. Graniti".
  8. ↑ "MARBLE/marble Symposium". Marble Institute of Colorado. n.d. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  9. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Welcome to Marble Charter School". Intrado Corporation. 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
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