![\"IMG_6064\"](\"http:\/\/intlstoneworks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/IMG_6064.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
The heart of the home is a grand white marble staircase, that would be a statement in any home, even today.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The attention to detail in the home is evident, from the screened in porch bedrooms to the ornate fireplaces.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How was this mansion constructed?<\/p>\n Large blocks of Tenino Sandstone were removed one at a time from a sandstone quarry located in Tenino Washington. Horizontal cuts in the quarry walls were about one foot wide and six feet apart.<\/p>\n Workers on the quarry floor then operated a steam-powered channeler to cut the sandstone into large blocks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Steam derrick lifted rough-cut stone blocks out of the quarry and into the quarry yard. The blocks would then be moved to the saw house for additional cutting and carving. Inside the saw house, stonecutters carved architectural details into the easily worked sandstone.<\/p>\n The heavier sandstone blocks were loaded onto a rail car. Notches had to be cut along the edge of each block in order to prevent the blocks from slipping from the cables.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Why did they choose Tenino Sandstone? The fine-grained stone was relatively soft when quarried and hardened as it dried. I also learned that sandstone is fireproof and resistant to Pacific Northwest rains. Along with these practical advantages, stone buildings like the Pittock Mansion stood for prosperity and longevity in the early 20th<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>