Eden Valders Stone

Eden Stone was established in 1950 by Emil Gesell and his sons, William and Robert Gesell. Humbly founded as a simple gravel yard in Marblehead, WI, Eden Stone began with one quarry, an old truck and a few strong backs. Following the death of their father, Bill and Bob capitalized on the unique beauty of their quarry stone by expanding their product line into hand dressed veneer and landscaping materials. The company grew into the Milwaukee and Chicago markets in the 1960’s and throughout the Midwest by the early 80’s. During those early years, the Gesells invested in better cutting equipment, improved their facilities and slowly built a small fleet of trucks to service regional customers. As their market grew, the Gesell’s purchased quarry land in nearby Oakfield and Chilton to expand their material options and provide a broader color palette to their increasing customer base. When Bob retired in the mid 1980’s, Bill tapped his sons and son-in-laws to help him develop the company. Together, they expanded Eden Stone’s reach even further into the cut stone market by acquiring Valders Stone & Marble, an internationally recognized, dimensional stone producer near Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Valders had a long history in its own right, beginning in 1906, when it started operating as a lump lime producer. Lump lime, used as an ingredient in mortar and cement plaster, was a booming product for many years. It was in the 1950s that the company first began to cut its stone based on the observation of an engineer. He recognized the superior quality of the material and suggested that it should be cut into architectural stone building materials. His recommendation stuck. Shortly after that encounter, Valders began working with builders on residential and commercial facilities in the region. Eden Stone is currently in its 4th generation of family ownership and consists of 9 quarries, 3 processing facilities and close to 180 employees.