Last updated: December 3, 2023
Place
Limestone and Marble (Stop 4)
NPS
Look at the landscape around you. Now, remove the mountains and imagine all of it covered by water. This entire area was once part of a shallow sea that existed around 700 million years ago. How do we know that? The evidence is right beneath your feet!
The limestone and marble you are standing on are composed mainly of calcite, a common mineral found in the shells of sea creatures. For nearly 400 million years, these animals lived and died in that sea, leaving their shells behind on the sea floor. Over time those laters of calcite were crushed and compressed to create both limestone and marble.
The limestone and marble you are standing on are composed mainly of calcite, a common mineral found in the shells of sea creatures. For nearly 400 million years, these animals lived and died in that sea, leaving their shells behind on the sea floor. Over time those laters of calcite were crushed and compressed to create both limestone and marble.