Workers came from Ireland, Scotland, Finland, Poland, Italy, and other countries in Europe, leaving a legacy of ethnic diversity that can still be found in Westerly today.
The timing was right for the monument business, since the end of the Civil War in 1865 brought with it a desire for numerous monuments and commemorative statues. Most of the statues at Gettysburg battlefield were carved from Westerly granite, as are many of the statues in New York's Central Park, monuments at the battlefields of Chickamauga and Chattanooga, and the statue of George Washington in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. Many buildings in New England and the East Coast were also built using Westerly granite, including the Travelers Tower in Hartford, Connecticut, the American Tract Society Building in New York City, and Sayles Hall at Brown University.
This was the golden age of monument creation, which included several phases. Sculpted figures started with a model: local women posing as angels and men as soldiers. Artists would sculpt the figures in soft clay, which was then transferred into a plaster cast. Once the plaster cast was created, the stone carver went to work, cutting a granite replica of the same size. This was the era of well known Westerly artists Robert D. Barr and Edward Pausch, and stone carvers Angelo Zerbarini, Antonio Pinardi, and Joseph Bedford, to name just a few.
Examples of these monuments can still be found in many cemeteries in Westerly and throughout the Northeast. Despite the fact that many of these sculptures are unsigned, the work shows an exquisite attention to detail.
"The detail is incredible," said Denesha. "The Richardson Stone of a mother and child in River Bend Cemetery is so life-like, down to the eyelashes and fingernails."
Denesha also told a story about the creation of the George Washington equestrian statue in Pennsylvania. The 17-foot-high monument of the president on horseback was cut from a 42- ton block taken from the Smith Quarry and assembled in three pieces. The sculpture was designed by artist Edward Pausch and carved by brothers Angelo and Columbus Zerbarini. Denesha said there's a story that exemplifies these carvers‚' attention to detail. Supposedly when the sculpture was picked up, one of the Zerbarini brothers said, "If you give me another week, I will make the spurs actually spin for you."
For very exclusive monuments, the artists would break the clay and plaster models so that no other carving could be created from it. But for many, the model was used more than once - customers could pick from a variety of examples. "Just like ordering out of the Sears catalog," Denesha said.
As the years went on, tools improved and the granite industry evolved, bringing in more advanced machinery, steel tools, saws, and eventually sandblasting equipment. Meanwhile, the desire for hand-carved war memorials declined, and the Depression took its toll on the granite industry. By 1945, the Smith Company's quarries had been sold, and the business that so influenced the area of Westerly is now all but nonexistent. Today Westerly is known more as a tourist town for those wishing to visit its seven miles of beaches than the granite Mecca it once was.
"Granite built Westerly. In 1900, 70% of the people here had something to do with the granite industry," Denesha said. "We're so proud of the granite and the history. It's a shame so many people aren't aware of it."
But several historical organizations are trying to raise awareness of the area's rich history. The Babcock-Smith House Museum, located in the house first owned by Joshua Babcock then Orlando Smith, is a repository of artifacts, papers, and photographs from the period. Visitors to the museum can also find maps to the many places in the area where they can see examples of Westerly granite craftsmanship.
United Builders Supply Company is also hoping the new availability of Westerly blue and Westerly pink as a veneer product will renew interest in this historic area and in the granite for which it was once known throughout the world. For more information on Westerly Granite veneer products please contact Mr. Bob Denesha, Vice President and Masonry Manager of United Builders Supply Co., Inc. Call 401-596-2831 x3324 or email bdenesha@unitedbuilderssupply.com
The Slippery Rock Gazette would like to thank Linda Chaffee, Archivist of the Babcock- Smith House Museum, for providing the historical photos for this article, and their on-going efforts to preserve the history of this unique community and American stone product.
Left: The Richardson monument in River Bend Cemetery, Westerly, Rhode Island was ordered from the Smith Granite Company in December 1892 for $3,000. It is made from blue Westerly granite. The sculptor was Robert Barr; the statue cutter was Columbus Zerbarini.
Left, Top: The Washington Equestrian statue in the Statue Cutters‚' Shed. Notice the thin webs of granite under the legs and between the tail and the body. These were left in place to give the statue more structural integrity during shipment to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Once on site the webs would be carefully cut away.
Left, Center: Gargoyle detail on the Richards mausoleum in Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia. It was designed by HQ French and produced by the Smith Granite Company in 1889 from blue Westerly granite for a cost of $13,500. In comparison, the cost of an average house in 1889 was around $5,000.
Photos Reprinted Courtesy of the Babcock-Smith House Museum.
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