Middlebury in Addison County, Vermont — The American Northeast (New England)
Proud Craftsmen from Many Lands
Looking Back
| | Marble Works 1898 | |
Photographed by Conrad Ward, November 30, 2024
1. Proud Craftsmen from Many Lands Marker
The Brandon Italian Marble Company became the largest firm in Middlebury, employing 175 men by 1904. In 1910 just over half of the workers were born in America, while the rest were Italian, French Canadian, Irish, Hungarian, Swedish and Russian. Many lived on nearby Seymour and Weybridge Streets.
The company's high quality 'clouded' white marble was in great demand for architectural details like door caps and sills, as well as big buildings like St. Mary's Church and the College's Starr Library. In 1900 they moved into the lucrative marble finishing trade, producing funeral urns, gravestones, crosses and markers like those shown here. A simple marble cross cost $6-$12, while a headstone went for $18-$35.
If they were not careful, the workers ran the risk of having their own products mark their graves. Marbleworking was a very dangerous trade, with many injuries occurring in the sheds. Some men were crushed by falling chunks of marble and others were lost when loose clothing pulled them into the machinery. Miners also risked contracting the lung disease silicosis from breathing marble dust.
Text and photograph courtesy of the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, Middlebury, Vermont
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Immigration
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Location. 44° 0.896′ N, 73° 10.2′ W. Marker is in Middlebury, Vermont, in Addison County. It is on Maple Street west of Printers Alley, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 137 Maple Street, Middlebury VT 05753, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Champlain Valley and in Greater Burlington. It is also in the American Northeast and in New England. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Middlebury Falls (within shouting distance of this marker); Otter Creek Industrial Revolution (within shouting distance of this marker); Middlebury Marble Town (within shouting distance of this marker); Marble Works Memorial Bridge (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Spanning the Falls (about 300 feet away); Into the Earth (about 300 feet away); Ancient Paths (about 300 feet away); Lazarus Park (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Middlebury.
Photographed by Conrad Ward, November 30, 2024
2. Proud Craftsmen from Many Lands Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on June 6, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 26, 2025, by Conrad Ward of Guilford, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 258 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 26, 2025, by Conrad Ward of Guilford, Connecticut. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.
