Cavendish's Verde Antique Marble

When you walk through the rotunda of the National Art Gallery of Art in Washington, D. C, did you know you were walking on Cavendish? The Verde Antique marble in the floor is from the Proctorsville Quarry. It was chosen because it was a match of the columns of the rotunda, which are made of Italian Verde. Report of the State Geologist on the Mineral Industries ofVermont 1939-1940.

In 1836, the Black River Marble and Soapstone Manufacturing company was established for extraction of the green serpentine rock -Verde Antique. The original quarry was located on the Black River, near Winery Road at a place formerly called Hart’s Bend. It was moved to its present location, off of Twenty Mile Stream Road, in 1931 when Antonia Moriglioni operated the Quarry

Antonia Moriglioni was born in France, on route to the United States from Italy. He came to Rutland, VT in the early 1900’s and discovered the Verde Antique Marble in the early 1930's. He owned and operated the quarry until the local mill owners squeezed him out of the business during World War II. With the mills, and other area businesses having military contracts, they needed the power and viewed the quarry as a “luxury item,” and not necessary for the war effort. Moriglioni never re opened the quarry. Instead he went to work in a quarry in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, where he died as a result of injuries he sustained from an explosion.

In 1989 the Ruby brothers, from Fair Haven, attempted to open the quarry but did not have the equipment to do so. In late 1990’s Vermont Quarries (owned by an Italian company) bought a 20-year lease to remove stone. The quarry was worked for 3-4 years and then work ceased. During this time,  stone was shipped for cutting to Italy, Spain and Brazil.  

This past week, members of the Moriglioni family-Lucille Moriglioni Evens, her brother James and his wife Barbara-presented the Cavendish Historical Society with pieces of the Verde Antique marble from their father's quarry. These are currently on display at the Museum. 

The Museum is open on Sunday's from 2-4 pm. until Oct. 13. 

On Oct 13, there will be a guided cemetery tour of the Old Revolutionary and Coffeen cemeteries. Meet at the Museum at 2 pm. FMI: margoc@tds.net or call 802-226-7807.