Types of Stones used in Howards Cemetery

Granite
Most stones that are produced in 2011 are granite.  Granite has become the standard for monuments.  Granite is pretty much indestructible.  Hand carving Granite is almost impossible, it needs to be machine carved.  This is why it is a more "modern" used stone.  Granite comes in a wide variety of grains and mica, so there is a wide variety of color.

Limestone
Limestone is sedimentary rock mostly of calcite.  Limestone can have fossils in it.  It is rarely polished.  The colors are tan, buff and grey hues,  it can have the effect of color variation as it ages.  As it ages it gets a gypsum crust.  Is easily confused with sandstone.  It it can be easily hand carved, and is cheaper in price than both marble and granite. 

Marble
Marble is crystallized limestone, it is white in color, but may turn grey with soiling.  It can be highly polished.  It does come in pink and grey, in both Tennessee marble and Georgia marble.  It was the predominate stone in the 19th Century, because artisan liked to carve it, larger monuments and statues start to appear in cemeteries during this time.  It does erode and "sugars".  Most people think of marble as indestructible, but it is not.  Marble has veins running through it, and can take on a high polish; it also yellows with age

In Howards the three stones above are the predominate stones

Sandstone erode very quickly and most can not longer be read.  It is a brown hue stone.