Joe Jenkins started working
on slate roofs in Butler, Pennsylvania under the tutorship
of a fellow named Peter Odrey in 1968 at the age of 16. He
eventually graduated from college and attended graduate school
where he wrote his first book, Humanure,
as a graduate thesis turned into an underground bestseller,
first published in January, 1995. His second book, The
Slate Roof Bible, published in 1997, sprang from the slate
roof restoration trade he had developed over the years. This
web site and Joseph Jenkins, Inc. in general, have resulted
from the success of that book and Jenkins' other literary works,
as well as his company's proficiency in slate roofing. Our
other websites include our publishing
web site, our corporate
web site, our Traditional
Roofing Magazine web site, and the Slate
Roofing Contractors Association website.
We started selling tools and
other items related to slate roofing in the year 2000. It had
been very difficult to find appropriate tools, materials and
supplies for the slate roofing trade for our own contracting
business. Eventually, we tracked down sources and bought wholesale
lots because there were no retail sources conveniently available.
We started selling to other contractors and to the public as
a service to the industry, gradually expanding our product
line to include many of the hard-to-find things needed for
slate roofing. Today, our online store is the most rapidly
expanding part of our business.
How to Find Us:
We're located in western Pennsylvania about
29 miles east of the Ohio border (about 10 miles east of the
intersection of I-80 and I-79), three minutes off Interstate
80 at exit 29 (Barkeyville, Route 8). Take Route 8 north at
exit 29 about 1/2 mile to the first left turn (Gilmore Road),
turn left onto Gilmore and go about one mile to the first left
turn (Old Beech Road). Turn left onto Old Beech and then go
about 1/4 mile to the 3rd driveway on the right (Forest Lane).
Turn right onto Forest Lane and you'll find us at the top of
the hill.
