History

American-Artstone Company was founded in 1914 by George Saffert, as the “Fairfax Cement Works”. Saffert, an immigrant from Germany was approached by contractor J.M. Hindermann and his St. Paul, MN architect, A.F. Gauger who were seeking white cast stone for the foundation and trim for St. John’s Lutheran Church which they planned to build in Fairfax, MN. In 1916 Saffert incorporated the company, changing the name to “Saffert-Gugisberg Cement Construction Company”. A few years later the company name was simplified to “Saffert Cement Construction Company”. By 1932 following years of company growth and attaining a most enviable reputation for producing cast stone of the highest quality, the company name was changed to American Artstone Company. In the 1940’s, with the armed forces draft depleting local labor supplies, German prisoners of war were employed by American Artstone Company during their captivity.

Since 1914, the company has evolved through Prohibition, two world wars, the Civil Rights Movement, and the end of the Cold War. In 1998 the company moved into a state of the art production facility in New Ulm, Minnesota. Today we continue operations from this location, producing the finest Cast Stone and Architectural Precast Concrete products in the country. We have produced many different designs since the inception of American Artstone Company including products like Travertine veneer products, gargoyles, large spandrel panels, and arches involving compound curves.