The remains of the once prosperous Round Top Cement Mill stand across the canal bed. The abundance of high calcium limestone drew cement manufacturers to this area in 1838. Limestone could be cut into building blocks or burned and ground for use in fertilizer or natural cement. The eight kilns could produce 48 tons of burnt lime per day. The Round Top Cement Company supplied cement for the construction of the Washington Monument, the U.S. Capitol building, and much of the masonry along the western end of the canal. Despite easy shipping and high quality cement, the company struggled to remain profitable. Fires in 1848, 1897, and 1903 burned the mill to the ground, and competition from Portland cement in the United States in the late 19th century proved even more devastating. Weakened by that competition, the Round Top Cement Company closed after the 1903 fire.
