The Onondaga Limestone Formation starts at the shore of Lake Huron in Canada and runs through central New York. Early settlers used the limestone to make mortar and by the1840s men at many small quarries were hand cutting blocks of limestone to be used in buildings and bridge supports. Crushed limestone, used in railroad beds, road surfaces, and concrete, was a big business. To meet the demand the General Crushed Stone Company bought a huge shovel. Actually the shove was small when compared to shovels today but the machine that ran it was massive. It ran on tracks which required a team of men to run track as the shovel moved around the quarry. The shovel itself had a fireman to keep the fire going under the boiler and three more men who controlled the boom, the bucket, and steered the shovel.
The Marion Shovel was used from 1906 to1948 when it was driven out of the quarry and parked on the edge of a meadow along Gulf Road. Railroad track wasn't necessary because caterpillar tracks had been installed on the shovel in 1923. The town of Le Roy owns the shovel and installed an interpretive sign.
The shovel can be viewed from your vehicle. The gravel in the lot may make it difficult to get close to the sign to read it.
The lot is about 30' deep. The shoulder is narrow but the road is not very busy so it may be possible to stop for a quick look if driving a long RV. Shovel 42.99245, -77.93819
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