American Slate

The USA slate industry is concentrated in the Taconic region of Vermont and New York, known as the Slate Valley. Slate was first quarried in the US in 1839 at Fair Haven, Vermont. An influx of immigrants from the North Wales slate quarrying communities saw a boom in slate production that peaked between the late 1850s and early 1900s. The slate deposits in this region are of an unusually high quality and offer their own unique colour characteristics, notably green, gray, black and red.

In 1848, one Colonel Allen sold one of the first slate roofs in the USA but the farmer who bought the slates was a sceptic. He insisted the Colonel wait a full year for payment in order to determine whether the roof would collapse. If so, Colonel Allen was to receive no pay, rather, he would pay for all damages. The roof did pass the test and remains in excellent condition to this very day!

Welsh//Slate recently acquired the Hilltop quarries in Vermont, adding this fine quality green slate to their range.