SHAYNA: WHAT DO HARVARD MEDICAL
SCHOOL AND THE NEW YORK PUBLIC
LIBRARY HAVE IN COMMON?
THE TINY TOWN UP DORSET,
VERMONT.
THIS IS WHERE ALL THAT STATELY
MARBLE CAME FROM, OUR COUNTRY'S
OLDEST QUARRY.
IT'S A POPULAR SWIMMING HOLE IN
SUMMER, BUT OTHERWISE SITS
QUIET, AS DO DOZENS OF OTHER
QUARRIES THAT WERE OPERATED IN
THE AREA.
THIS IS THE LARGEST UNDERGROUND
MARBLE QUARRY IN THE WORLD.
WELCOME TO DANBY QUARRY.
THE ICONIC PILLARS OF THE U.S.
SUPREME COURT, THAT MARBLE WAS
MINED HERE, AND WE ARE GOING IN.
ALL SET WITH THE SELF RESCUE
HER.
SAFETY FIRST WHEN TRAVELING A
MILE AND A HALF INTO A MOUNTAIN.
QUARRY MANAGER KEITH MILLARD IS
OUR GUIDE.
WORKERS STARTED SLICING THEIR
WAY THROUGH THE STONE IN THE
LATE 1800S, CHASING LAYERS UP
MARBLE IN DORSET MOUNTAIN.
>> WE ARE TUNNELING THROUGH THE
MOUNTAIN TO MAKE A HOLES ARE
THEY CAN GO BACK AND WORK ON THE
FLOORS AND TIP OVER 300-400 TON
BLOCKS TO CUT OUT THE MATERIAL
THEY WANT.
>> ONCE, HUNDREDS OF MEN WERE
NEEDED, NOW JUST OVER A DOZEN
ARE NEEDED.
>> BASICALLY AN OVERSIZED
CHAINSAW THAT PUTS HORIZONTAL
CUTS AND THEN VERTICAL CUTS IN
THE WALL TO MAKE THE BLOCKS
SMALLER SO WE CAN PULL THEM OUT
WITH A LOADER.
>> THEY ARE THEN SLICED SMALLER
WITH DIAMOND STUDDED CABLE.
>> IT IS DIAMOND FRAGMENTS THAT
ARE HEATED AND MELTED ONTO THE
SHAFT.
>> THE STONES ARE BEEN FINISHED
ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOMER'S
REQUEST.
>> WHATEVER THEY ARE LOOKING
FOR, WHETHER A POLISHED OR HONED
FINISH.
>> IT IS BEEN SENT ALL OVER THE
WORLD.
IN DEMAND BECAUSE OF ITS BEAUTY,
PURE AND SIMPLE, THAT DAZZLING
LIGHT.
IT CAN BE FOUND IN MONUMENTS,
MUSEUMS, AND MORE.
FROM INSIDE A MOUNTAIN TO THE
TOP OF ONE.
IT'S TIME TO EXPLORE THE VISTAS
OF DORSET.
THESE LEAKS ARE PRESERVED BY THE
WORKFORCE IN OUR MEN CENTER.
-- FARMLAND CENTER.
>> HIKING, CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING,
EVEN DOWNHILL.
>> WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SUMMITS
ON THE MOUNTAIN.
WE HAVE CLOSE TO 1200 FEET UP
ELEVATION FROM THAT SUMMIT.
CONSISTENTLY IT IS KNEE-DEEP TO
THIGH DEEP.
>> WE DECIDE ON LESS OF A DROP.
I HAVE NEVER SNOW SHOE BEFORE,
BUT I WOULD IMAGINE IT IS
WALKING.
>> IT IS A LOT LIKE KIND OF
SHUFFLING.
WE WILL GO FOR COMFORTABLY SNOW
-- COMFORTABLY SNUG.
>> THERE ARE 30 MILES OF TRAIL
THAT INTERLACED THAT HOLD
PROPERTY.
THIS TIME OF YEAR WE DON'T HAVE
THAT MANY FOLK STAYING IN A LEAN
TO BUT ALL -- ALL OF OUR CABINS
HAVE WOODSTOVES.
>> THERE IS ALSO A 60 ACRE
WORKING FARM.
>> THERE IS USUALLY BETWEEN 60
AND 80 HEAD, DEPENDING ON THE
TIME OF YEAR.
AND WE HAVE CHICKENS ON THE
PROPERTY.
>> GEORGE MERCK IS TO THANK FOR
MUCH OF THIS.
HE BROUGHT -- HE BOUGHT A LARGE
PORTION AS A GIFT FOR HIS FAMILY
AND A 1950 DONATED IT AND
STARTED AN ENDOWMENT TO FIND THE
CENTER.
-- TWO FUND THE CENTER.
>> THERE HAS BEEN THE RISE OF A
DIGITAL CULTURE.
OUR MISSION HAS GROWN A LITTLE
BIT TO INCLUDE REINTRODUCING
PEOPLE TO THESE SPACES, TO THE
NATURAL LANDSCAPE, SHOWING THEM
WHAT A FARM LOOKS LIKE, WHAT A
WORKING FOREST LOOKS LIKE.
>> POPULAR WITH SCHOOL GROUPS
AND YOUNG FAMILIES, THE IDEA IS
TO SHOWCASE SUSTAINABLE
AGRICULTURE AND INSPIRE A SENSE
OF STEWARDSHIP.
>> JUST KIND OF TAKE A DEEP
BREATH AND CONNECT WITH THE
NATURAL WORLD.
SHAYNA: BACK TO THE MARBLE, OR
MY QUARRIES CORPORATION IS
RUNNING THE SHOW THERE.
ANTHONY: THEY'RE MARBLE HAS BEEN
USED IN MONTREAL, THE SINGAPORE
STOCK EXCHANGE AND IN LONDON.
A LOT OF REALLY BIG PROJECTS ALL
OVER THE WORLD USE THEIR MARBLE.
SHAYNA: THEY WERE NOTHING BUT
WITH SCRAPS AND TODAY THEY ARE
SOLD IN HIGH-END STORES.