⛏ Old State Quarry State Preserve

The Old State Quarry State Preserve, also known as the North Bend Quarries, Capitol Quarry, Old Capitol Quarry, and the State Quarry, is a historic site located northeast of North Liberty, Iowa, United States. The quarry, originally known as North Bend Quarries, began operations in 1842. It provided limestone for numerous buildings and structures in Iowa City and elsewhere in the state. The list includes the Old Capital (1842), the foundations for Old Brick Church (1856) and the present Iowa State Capitol (1886) in Des Moines. The exact date that the quarry closed is not known, but because there is no evidence of mechanized techniques to remove stone, it is assumed it closed around the turn of the 20th century. There are, however, hand tool marks in the remaining stone. From 1874 to 1911 Samuel Calvin, professor of natural history at the State University of Iowa, used the quarry for both research and instruction in geology and paleontology.