Limestone Lives:
Voices from the Indiana Stone Belt

The Indiana Limestone industry is situated in an area of south-central Indiana which is roughly two miles wide and thirty miles long. This premier building material is used in buildings and homes in every state of the nation and in many foreign countries, and has a powerful presence in the architecture, ornament and landscape of south-central Indiana. For almost two centuries, limestone has formed the basis for many aspects of residents’ lives here, including their economic stability, their social composition and their built environment. Many come from families of stoneworkers who have worked in the industry for generations. They are quarriers, cutters, carvers, and sculptors of stone. They have tremendous pride in their trade and great respect for the material they work with. They combine their labor and craft with a sense of humility. This book pays homage to these hardworking people who work with their hands, physically shaping the stone that continues to enrich our built environment. From these limestone lives, a strong tradition has developed.

Limestone Lives documents a representative sampling of past and present day stories and experiences of people who have worked and are currently working in the limestone industry in south central Indiana. It is a collection of stories from the lives of eleven individuals for whom limestone has played a significant role. The stories describe events, emotions, views and opinions. Although the stories are of limestone, the themes are familiar to -us all – change and continuity, technology versus tradition, fortune and calamity, joys and sorrows. The text includes a foreword by the Indiana Limestone Institute and a preface by the author.

Production/Design: Limestone Lives was photographed, designed, and printed by Kate Ferrucci. It is based on interviews that were conducted, transcribed, and edited by the author from 1999 to 2002. Limestone Lives was produced at the People to People Press in Bloomington, Indiana. The typefaces used are Centaur and Arrighi, which were cast and set by the Bixler Typefoundry in Skaneateles, New York. There are 45 magnesium halftone photoengravings, eleven of which are full-page portraits of the hands of the interviewees. There are also three line drawings, which were printed from photopolymer plates, and several linoleum cuts which were used to print solid tint blocks under the photoengravings.

Description/Materials: The book was printed on Rives BFK Heavyweight in grey and buff. All text and images were printed letterpress. The book has exposed sewing on the spine onto linen tapes, and the front and back covers are constructed from rectangular pieces of binders’ board of varying dimensions, which are arranged to resemble a wall built with limestone blocks. The book has 60 pages, 48 of which are printed. It measures 14.5 by 10.5 by 1.75 inches, in a horizontal format. A protective cloth-covered slipcase accompanies the book. All copies are numbered and signed by the artist.