Sheldon Quarries

The Sheldon Marble Company had its start in 1844 with the development of its West Rutland quarry by David Morgan Jr. and company.

In 1850, Charles Sheldon, his brothers, and Morgan under the name Sheldons, Morgan, and Company. They were succeeded by the name Sheldons, Morgan and Slason with the partnership of Charles Slason in 1856, followed by Sheldons and Slason upon David Morgan’s retirement. Charles Slason retired in 1881 and the firm became Sheldon and Sons before being finally renamed the Sheldon Marble Co. in 1888.

The Sheldon Marble Co. property was leased to the Vermont Marble Co. for thirty years, during which time Fred Patch left the Vermont Marble Co. in Proctor to become superintendent. When the Vermont Marble Co.'s lease eventually led to their purchase of the property in 1891, Patch left to begin his marble machinery manufacturing company.

To learn more about the facilities run by the Sheldon Marble Co., see South Mills.

See more about the Sheldon Marble Co.'s role in the industry and the Vermont Marble Co.'s development at Beginnings.

Sheldon Quarry No. 1

(Puckhaber 2025)

Sheldon Quarry No. 2

(Puckhaber 2025)

Sheldon Quarry No. 4

(Puckhaber 2025)

Sheldon Quarry No. 5

(Puckhaber 2025)

Sheldon Quarry No. 3

Of the quarries most easily accessible via walking trail, Sheldon Quarry No. 3 is the closest to the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center and still has an old derrick that used to be used to bring marble blocks from the pit to the rim of the quarry.

On the quarry's northernmost side, you'll see the concrete foundation of what once was the power house and blacksmith shop.

1921 map of West Rutland traced from 1885 labeling quarries

References

"General Condition of the Sheldon Marble Co.'s Property as leased by the Vermont Marble Co. 1892." Vermont Marble Co. Carving Studio and Sculpture Center, West Rutland, VT.

Georeferenced imagery. Google Earth. "Aerial Imagery." Color imagery, 2025. Google. 2025.

Miglorie, Catherine. Vermont’s Marble Industry. Arcadia Publishing, 2013.

Non-georeferenced imagery. Vermont Imagery. "1962 Aerial Imagery." Black and white imagery, 2019. Vermont Center for Geographic Information. 2025. https://vcgi.vermont.gov/data-release/1962-aerial-imagery-now-available-statewide-non-georeferenced.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from West Rutland, Rutland County, Vermont. Sanborn Map Company, Aug, 1910. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn08959_001/.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from West Rutland, Rutland County, Vermont. Sanborn Map Company, Jan, 1922. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn08959_002/.

State Plane. Vermont Imagery. "VT 1974-1992." Black and white imagery, 1974-1992. Vermont Open Geodata Portal. 2025. https://geodata.vermont.gov/pages/imagery?_gl=1*i137yy*_ga*NjU1NjE1MDQ4LjE3NDY5OTMwMDQ.*_ga_V9WQH77KLW*czE3NTMzNzUxODUkbzMxJGcxJHQxNzUzMzc1MjQ4JGo1OCRsMCRoMA.

State Plane. Vermont Imagery. "VT 1994-2000." Black and white imagery, 1994-2000. Vermont Open Geodata Portal. 2025. https://geodata.vermont.gov/pages/imagery?_gl=1*i137yy*_ga*NjU1NjE1MDQ4LjE3NDY5OTMwMDQ.*_ga_V9WQH77KLW*czE3NTMzNzUxODUkbzMxJGcxJHQxNzUzMzc1MjQ4JGo1OCRsMCRoMA.

Vermont Marble Company - Its Past and Future. Proctor, VT: Vermont Marble Co., 1920. Proctoriana Collection. Vermont Historical Society Leahy Library, Barre, VT.

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