Our Quarry

Alpine Quarries Inc. proudly re-opens an historical Oldman Sandstone quarry.

Located in southern Alberta, the quarry operated by Alpine Quarries Inc. is one of the oldest and most historic sandstone quarries in Canada.

A master stone mason sailed to Canada in the late 1800's from Scotland and soon moved to Calgary, Alberta where stone masons were in high demand. After completing many period - now historical - buildings in Calgary, the mason - while visiting an old school chum in southern Alberta - found sandstone along an area riverbank - a premier source of Oldman River Sandstone was discovered.

During the early 1900s, two enormous steam-powered derricks were constructed at the site extending from the river's edge to the top of the sandstone bluff, which lifted tons of stone onto horse-drawn wagons, which then forded the river and navigated early trails to the area's towns. The quarry's peak years were between 1900-1913, when the railway built a spur line to the site so the sandstone could be transported easily out of the area.

The Oldman Sandstone - the most popular stone of the era - is light brown to grey colour with attractive colouration and textures from beds in the stone. More than 55 structures in southern Alberta were built from the sandstone including historical sites still standing today; the Courthouse in Lethbridge, the Queens and Rex Hotels in Fort MacLeod, the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, and many others.

The quarry was shut down with the onslaught of World War I, as the market for sandstone softened and many of the 60 to 80 stonemasons working at the quarry joined the army to serve Canada. For over 50 years the site remained closed, until briefly in 1985 the quarry was reopened to supply sandstone for renovation of the Lethbridge Courthouse and historical McDougall School in Calgary.

Later, for a brief period in the late 1900s, sandstone was produced for limited use in restoration projects and most notably to proudly adorn the award-winning and historical Garrison Woods community as building and feature stone at the war memorial Garrison Square and throughout the former army-barracks community.

Today, Alpine Quarries Inc. has proudly brought this historically significant quarry back into full operation, now utilizing modern-day extraction, blocking and transportation methods. Alpine Quarries now offers the Oldman River Sandstone for projects in Alberta, with interest across Canada and into the United States for this sandstone with its superior construction and masonry qualities.

Use our Quote Request Form to request pricing on any product!

Home | About Alpine | Stone Varieties | Stone Remainders |Stone Features
Tools & Supplies | Our Quarry | Showcase | Dealers | Employment | Contact Us

Copyright 2004-2008 Alpine Quarries Inc. All rights reserved.
Tel: (403) 234-9745 · Toll-free 1-866-888-9745 · Fax: (403) 234-9755 · www.AlpineQuarries.com
NEW LOCATION: 830-59th Avenue SE ·Calgary, AB · Canada, T2H 2G5
OPEN: Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm · Closed Weekends & Statutory Holidays.