Lannon stone is a type of buff-colored, blocky, sedimentary
Dolomite (rock)
Dolomite (also known as dolomite rock, dolostone or dolomitic rock) is a sedimentary rock, sedimentary carbonate rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral Dolomite (mineral), dolomite, CaMg(CO3)2. It occurs widely, often in associati ...
, whose name is derived from Mr. William Lannon, one of the original settlers of the Village of
Lannon, Wisconsin
Lannon is a village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,355 at the 2020 census. Lannon is a part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area.
History
The village is named for William Lannon, who settled here with his bride ...
. Lannon stone can be found throughout the
Niagara Escarpment
The Niagara Escarpment is an approximately discontinuous, arc-shaped but generally northward-facing escarpment, or cuesta, in Canada and the United States. The escarpment begins south of Lake Ontario and circumscribes the top of the Great Lake ...
, which runs underneath much of the
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...
. Lannon stone is known for its durability and is used in the construction of houses and businesses, both for the structural integrity it brings and the aesthetically pleasing stone façade. Lannon stone is found heavily throughout southeast
Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
in modern constructions either as exterior wall material, stone façade, or ornamental landscaping decorations.
History
In 1855, it was reported that at least a dozen quarries were shipping Lannon stone to
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
by team and
wagon
A wagon (or waggon) is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by Working animal#Draft animals, draft animals or on occasion by humans, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies and sometimes people.
Wagons are i ...
, mainly to be used for paving stones. By the early 1890s, 14
quarries
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to manage their safet ...
were producing Lannon stone attracting the attention of builders, architects to be used in projects such as
paving,
kilns
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven, that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects made from clay into ...
, and most notably solid stone-wall buildings.
However, after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
the industry changed and the attraction to Lannon stone quickly transitioned into being desired as an ornamental landscaping rock, or as thin
stone veneer
Stone veneer is a thin layer of any stone used as decorative facing material that is not meant to be load bearing. Stone cladding is a stone veneer, or simulated stone, applied to a building or other structure made of a material other than stone. ...
façade.
Durability
Lannon stone was a popular choice for home construction due to its uniform grade, hardness and color.
See also
*
Lemont limestone, a similar dolostone which was used architecturally in the Midwest.
References
{{reflist
Limestone