Building the Foundations of Chicagoland Since 1883
At Elmhurst-Chicago Stone we are proud of our history as a family owned and operated company and the work we have done to help build our local communities. This long history has helped inform how we run our business today – going above and beyond for our clients and acting as a true partner as you complete your projects. We are from Elmhurst, we know Elmhurst, and we want you to know a little more about us.
1883
Elmhurst-Chicago Stone Company began in 1883 with an 11-acre quarry in Elmhurst, Illinois. In the beginning, the company’s principal customers were builders who wanted stone for foundations and walls, which was hand-cut and sold as dimension stone. This process left large quantities of stone chips, which were then sold to local contractors for use in road building.
1883 – 1900
The demand for these chips became so great that the company installed crushers and screens to increase the production’s efficiency. Stone from the Elmhurst quarry has been used in the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad roadbeds, state highways, and public buildings in and around DuPage County.
1900 – 1930
Stone from our quarries was taken out almost entirely by hand until 1914, when the first conveying and mechanical handling equipment was installed. From that time on our progress was rapid. At the end of 1929 approximately 15 acres of the Emhurst location had been quarried out to a depth of 70 feet.
1940 – 1990
By the late 1940’s, the company had widened its scope of activities and began producing ready-mix concrete. Blasting limestone created smaller stone and screenings, which ultimately led the company to pursue this new venture. Mixed with cement, sand, water, and smaller rock, ready-mix concrete makes an excellent building unit.
1990 – 2010
In 1992 the Elmhurst quarry was sold to DuPage County and turned into a storm-water management facility, with the ability to carry 2.7 billion gallons of floodwater at a depth of 200 feet! The stormwater relief provided by the Elmhurst quarry has helped save dozens, if not hundreds, of homes in Elmhurst from flood damage.
Present Day
Today, Elmhurst-Chicago Stone Company has ready-mix concrete operations in Elmhurst, Bolingbrook, Kaneville and Bartlett. Elmhurst-Chicago Stone also offers recycled aggregate materials, CCDD (Clean Construction and Demolition Debris) dumps, and clean concrete dump sites.
Beyond
Family owned and operated since its inception in 1883, Elmhurst-Chicago Stone Co. is currently led by its 5th and 6th generations, with its headquarters in Elmhurst at the original site of that very first quarry.