Existing comment:
Construction:
The marble for the staircases was quarried by the Moretti-Harrah Marble Company near Sylacauga, Alabama. The rough blocks were transported to Knoxville, Tennessee, where the Gray-Knox Marble Company finished the stone in their mill. After the steps were cut, the staircase was assembled upside down to make sure that each piece was an exact fit. In a few places, a run of several steps was cut from one piece of marble. After numbering each piece, the staircases were dismantled and shipped to Washington for installation. |