Heritage stones are building and ornamental stones that have special significance in human culture. The papers in this volume discuss a wide variety of such materials, including stones from Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa and Australia. Igneous (basalt, porphyry, granite), sedimentary (sandstone, limestone) and metamorphic (marble, quartzite, gneiss, soapstone, slate) stones are featured. These have been utilized over long periods of time for a wide range of uses contributing to the historic fabric of the built environment. Many of these stones are of international significance, and so are potential Global Heritage Stone Resources, that is stones that have the requisite qualities for international recognition by the Heritage Stones Subcommission of the International Union of Geological Sciences. The papers bring together diverse information on these stones ranging from their geological setting and quarry locations to mechanical properties, current availability, and uses over time. As such the papers can serve as an entry into the literature on these important stones.

This volume, produced in conjunction with the GSA North-Central Section Meeting held in Dayton, Ohio, April 2012, has a mix of papers ranging from stratigraphy, paleontology, and hydrogeology, to geomorphology, drainage basins, and building stones. The geographic spread of the chapters focuses mainly on an area bounded by those counties adjacent to Montgomery County, but also extends beyond -- from Paulding County in the north to Georgetown, Kentucky, in the south. Topics include the Silurian stratigraphy of southwestern Ohio, drainage basins of the Mad River and Little Miami River, the relationship between geology and groundwater of the Inner Bluegrass Region, Kentucky (and its connection to the distilling and aging of bourbon), and the building stones of Dayton, as well as an introduction to the geology of the Dayton area.

Original essays on the past, present, and future of the Ohio & Erie Canal Combining original essays based on the past, present, and future of the Ohio & Erie Canal, Canal Fever showcases the research and writing of the best and most knowledgeable canal historians, archaeologists, and enthusiasts. Each contributor brings his or her expertise to tell the canal's story in three parts: the canal era--the creation of the canal and its importance to Ohio's early growth; the canal's decline--the decades when the canal was merely a ditch and path in backyards all over northeast Ohio; and finally the rediscovery of this old transportation system and its transformation into a popular recreational resource, the Ohio & Erie Canalway. Included are many voices from the past, such as canalers, travelers, and immigrants, stories of canal use through various periods, and current interviews with many individuals involved in the recent revitalization of the canal. Accompanying the essays are a varied and interesting selection of photographs of sites, events, and people, as well as original maps and drawings by artist Chuck Ayers. Canal Fever takes a broad approach to the canal and what it has meant to Ohio from its original function in the state's growth its present-day function in revitalizing our region. Canal buffs, historians, educators, engineers, and those interested in urban revitalization will appreciate its extensive use of primary source materials and will welcome this comprehensive collection.