The stone encouraged ambitious early Americans such as Frank Sidall and H.C. Clement to seek out Georgia's "amazing" stone. In May of 1884, Sidall and Clement built The Georgia Marble Co. on 7,000 acres in Georgia's north country. In relatively little time, railroad transportation was helpful in making it possible to open up broad new markets for Georgia Marble's stone to be used in buildings and private memorials nationwide.
Georgia Marble?s value was due to its composition, which is almost entirely calcium carbonate. The stone's structure is crystalline, with no stratification and basically free of discoloring agents that cause staining from the marble's interior. Myriad crystals in the stone create a sparkling appearance and form a barrier against moisture, dirt and discoloration. Because these crystals are interlocking, they give Georgia Marble a very low moisture absorption rate and high degree of strength, making it possible for one cubic foot of Georgia Marble to support a weight of nearly 1,000 tons.