Morton gneiss, also called rainbow gneiss, is a popular facing stone for buildings, because of its striking colors.

Architects have used Morton gneiss mainly in the lower floors of large buildings for its visual appeal. It enjoyed its greatest popularity during the Art Deco era of the 1920s and 1930s. The Adler Planetarium in Chicago, completed in 1930, uses Morton gneiss. Around the country it was used prominently in New York City, Detroit, Des Moines, Birmingham, Tulsa, Milwaukee, Hartford, and Cincinnati. It figures in two buildings at Washington State University: Holland Library and its addition, Terrell Library Though Morton gneiss is as tough and durable as granite, it has rarely been used as a structural building stone.