Marble, Colorado
Do you know how the town of Marble got its name?
Marble is home to the pure white stone that was used for the Lincoln Memorial, Tomb of the Unknowns, headstones for veterans in national cemeteries, and countless buildings and monuments across the country. The largest vein of white marble in the world was discovered by gold seekers in 1873 while the Crystal River Valley was still part of Northern Ute reservation. The Town of Marble was incorporated in 1899 and grew to 1,400 people between 1912-1917 when the Colorado-Yule Marble Company quarry and finishing mill were in full operation. Over the following half-century, Marble became a ghost town. In 1990, the marble quarry reopened and the Marble area is now home to about 300 people.
Did you know Marble is a gateway to the ghost town of Crystal City; home of the famous Crystal Mill?
Built in 1893 and reputed to be the most photographed site in Colorado, Crystal Mill harnessed river water to power a compressor that ran drills in nearby Sheep Mountain and Bear Mountain. The scenic back country area is accessible during summer and fall via four-wheel drive vehicles, or by hiking, or on horseback.
Visit our public National Historic Sites:
There are seven sites listed on the National Historic Register within one square mile in Marble! Marble is home to the pure white stone that was used for the Lincoln Memorial, Tomb of the Unknowns, veterans’ headstones in national cemeteries and countless other buildings and monuments across the country.
- Marble City State Bank—now The Marble Hub, a community gathering place. Historic walking tours are available here.
- Marble High School/Museum: now Marble Charter School.
- Marble Millsite Park: self-guided walking tour explains the heyday of the largest marble finishing mill in the country.
- Marble Community Church: brought from Aspen by railcar in 1908 and reassembled on site; church services year-round.
DIRECTIONS:
- From Denver, take I-70 to Glenwood Springs exit
- Then Hwy 82 south to Hwy 133 at Carbondale.
- Go south on Hwy 133 (West Elk Scenic Loop) for 28 miles to Marble turnoff (County Road 3)
- Proceed six miles east to Marble.
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