Eden Mill Asbestos Mine, Vermont

Asbestos was mined in great quantity in Vermont, as it was one of only two states in the Union that produced the material. The other was California (most North American asbestos came from Canada). The principal Vermont asbestos mining area is on Mt. Belvedere, in the northern part of the state. Mining started here in 1889, and by 1930, nearly all asbestos in the nation came from here. GAF, the chemical and film company, operated the mine for a number of years, as did Johns-Manville, a Canadian company. It closed in 1993, but remains as a mile-long pit and overburden pile in the hills above town. Its future, and its impact on the region, is being debated.