Indiana lime kilns nominated for National Register of Historic Places

UTICA, Ind. - Three 19th century lime kilns near an Ohio River community in southern Indiana have been nominated for the National Register of Historic Places.

The three stone structures with arched chamber openings near the Clark County town of Utica were part of a lime industry boom as early as 1818 that was fueled by demand for lime used for mortar, fertilizer and other purposes.

Historian Carl Kramer tells The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky, Clark County had about 30 cement mills by the 1880s, making it one of the nation's largest producers at that time. The region's limestone beds were formed some 400 million years ago.

A new Ohio River bridge between Indiana and Kentucky was designed to go between the kilns. A federal preservation agreement protects the kilns from damage.