The Alberene Soapstone Company was founded in 1888 after large deposits of soapstone were discovered in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. By World War I Alberene was one of the largest employers in Virginia. The company's holdings included 6,000 acres connected by a self-contained rail system and a network of gondolas used to transport men, machinery and product. The company's early and long-term success were based on its claim to world's largest supply of workable architectural grade soapstone. Today the market is dominated by foreign competitors. Alberene is the only supplier of American soapstone. Even companies such as Vermont Soapstone and Green Mountain, commonly thought to provide American stone, import their products from Brazil. It is a hard reality for us.