Sylacauga marble is Alabama’s official rock, and a piece of it now sits in an area that includes the longleaf pine, the state’s official tree, and a peach tree, the state’s official fruit tree.
Thousands of students, many from our area, visit the zoo each year and in addition to the animals, they tour the area that includes officially recognized items in the state. So lots of school children will learn something about Sylacauga marble and the place it holds in our state.
Zoo officials visited Sylacauga to see the marble, and decide how big a piece they wanted and how to get it back to Birmingham.
Sylacauga officials took over from there, with help from Alabama Marble, which supplied the stone. Local sculptor Dale Liner donated some of his work to the project as well.
Sylacauga Mayor Sam Wright was in Birmingham Tuesday for the unveiling of the marble.
“We think it is a good opportunity for some positive public relations and I am anxious to see how it fits in overall with the Birmingham Zoo,” Mayor Wright said.
We expect it will fit in very well.
