Natural Resources

Many of the oldest homes in Steamboat Rock, have plastered walls plastered with locally processed limestone. The lime used for plaster and mortar in these older buildings was produced by calcining or “burning” limestone in kilns.

The remains of several of these lime kilns indicate that a considerable amount of lime must have been produced locally. Early homes were plastered to keep out the wind.

One of these old kilns was located just east of tower rock, and another north of Calamus pond on the dry run that terminates at Bannigan’s riffle. Another was located on the southwest bank of Elk Creek southeast of town.