Geochemistry: Rust stain on granite from overlying sulfide-rich slab.
Archaeology: Shaker Barn allegedly built by Irish immigrants, Harvard, MA.
History: Colonial Concord's Old Manse overlooking Old North Bridge.
Art: Railroad trestle somewhere in Vemont has both quarried and junk stone.
Ecology: Pasture barway through simple wall, central Vermont.
Welcome to the Stone Wall Initiative (SWI)
The SWI is an internet PORTAL to the signature landform of rural New England. This resource is a public service provided free of charge by expert Robert M. Thorson as part of his scholarly engagement for the University of Connecticut. Though hosted by the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, the SWI is explicitly regional, with a focus on all of New England. Check back for new blog postings and updates.
Contact the SWI coordinator
Email: robert.thorson@uconn.edu
Blog Posts
- State of Connecticut Defines a “Stone Wall” April 9, 2025
- A Stepwise Coordinated Plan for Stone Wall Conservation April 4, 2025
- Bladed Lace Wall December 30, 2024
- Make Way for Drylands! December 30, 2024
- Petroleum Walls and Enormous Boulders January 8, 2024
- Smithsonian Essay November 15, 2023
- Bobcat Habitat October 20, 2023