One of the coolest things about the woods here:
The period from 1775 - 1825 was known as the golden age of stone wall building. During this time period, more stone walls were built than any other period of time. This period of time was also when more and better designed stone walls started to take the place of older stone walls. The increase of stone wall building during this period of time is due to a few factors. The main reason for the increase was directly linked to an increased interest in farming in New England. The increase in stone wall building from 1775-1825 is also the direct result of population increase. New advances in travel and farming allowed stone walls to be built faster.
The type of rocks that masons used to build stone walls in New England varied. Most of the time the rocks that were used in a wall were granite, limestone or gneiss. These rocks were the most popular to use because they were found in abundance across New England. These are also the few types of rocks found in New England. When a mason or a farmer requested rocks, they usually had to be drilled or mined out of caves. A substantial amount of rocks used in stone walls were also those found in farms and in woods.
The reason why so many stones were found throughout farms and woods is because of glaciers. When the glaciers were formed, they trapped many rocks within them. When the glaciers melted across New England, they would dump millions of tons of rocks in random places such as woods or land that would be used as farm later on. The only types of rocks that could survive a glacier are the really hard ones, such as granite and gneiss.Glaciers also left many fieldstones and other rocks rather smooth because a glacier would tumble and tend to smooth out many rocks. Because of the round shape of these rocks, they were not very useful in building walls. The rocks that were not rounded however, were very hard and durable once put in a wall.
Old graveyards are also pretty sweet, the least worn stone here read 1815
No, this isn't my research, I read a book on stonewalls in the bookstore and decided to post this from here. The pictures are all mine though.
JP
The type of rocks that masons used to build stone walls in New England varied. Most of the time the rocks that were used in a wall were granite, limestone or gneiss. These rocks were the most popular to use because they were found in abundance across New England. These are also the few types of rocks found in New England. When a mason or a farmer requested rocks, they usually had to be drilled or mined out of caves. A substantial amount of rocks used in stone walls were also those found in farms and in woods.
The reason why so many stones were found throughout farms and woods is because of glaciers. When the glaciers were formed, they trapped many rocks within them. When the glaciers melted across New England, they would dump millions of tons of rocks in random places such as woods or land that would be used as farm later on. The only types of rocks that could survive a glacier are the really hard ones, such as granite and gneiss.Glaciers also left many fieldstones and other rocks rather smooth because a glacier would tumble and tend to smooth out many rocks. Because of the round shape of these rocks, they were not very useful in building walls. The rocks that were not rounded however, were very hard and durable once put in a wall.
Old graveyards are also pretty sweet, the least worn stone here read 1815
No, this isn't my research, I read a book on stonewalls in the bookstore and decided to post this from here. The pictures are all mine though.
JP
Comments
Are those glacially deposited rocks "glacial erratics?"
Yeah, that's a fancy name for any rock left behind from a glacier. The less durable walls are made from the rounded ones, and the really nice ones from the real hard rocks that didn't get rounded tumbling in the glaciers.
Thanks Kara