Vermont slate history
The beginnings
For more than 150 years, the slate industry in the United States has
been concentrated in the “Green Mountains” of Vermont, nort-east
of the country. Slate was first quarried in 1839 at Fair Haven. The roof
of a barn one mile south of Fair Haven was the first to be covered with
slate. It was feared the barn would not withstand the weight of the
stone. The barn is still standing today and the same slate roof is intact !
Proof of longevity.
The boom
An influx of immigrants from the North Wales slate quarrying communities
saw a boom in slate production that peaked in the latter half of the 19th
century. Methods of quarrying improved with the advent of more advanced
mechanization, greatly increasing production. Methods of shipping also saw
significant advances.
Modernization
After World War II, the slate industry virtually shut down because so much
manpower was lost to the armed forces and defense industries. Several who
left their communities did not return. The modernization of both slate extraction
methods and maritime transport helped boost production. Vermont slate remains
a noble product that is attractive in many markets.
Maintaining the tradition
Today, Vermont is the only state in the USA producing natural roofing slates on a
regular basis. More than 20 quarries continue – in the traditional way – to produce
slate in a range of unique colors like green, gray, black, red and purple among
others.
Vermont Natural Slate® is non porous and contains little iron oxide which brings
long life to the product.