Appreciation | Stone Wall Initiative

Unusual natural colors of a rock surface in Acadia National Park. Green weed to left shows true color. The rock is pink (center) the rust orange to black, the white sulphate residue, and the green are metamorphic minerals.

There’s more to a historic wall than first meets the eye. Each is a library of earthen books with geological and historical stories to tell. Each is a work of art full of color and pattern. Each is an archaeological artifact too big for a museum. There’s shape and pattern, both artistically and mathematically. There’s habitat and food for plants, critters and microbes. And there’s the fun of exploring them in space and time.

The first step toward conservation of New England’s historic stone walls is for residents, voters and landowners to appreciate them. Many do already, and they can learn to appreciate them even more. Those who don’t should think twice before cutting one apart for a driveway, or strip-mining one for its stone.

You can enhance your appreciation by:

Looking at Ten Superlative Walls, each of which is special in some way.
Clicking your way through a Gallery of Images designed to capture the range of materials, form, and style.
Attending a Public Program near you.
Or checking out a Sample of Writings sent in by readers.

Massive granite wall from Center Sandwich, NH. The sand beaches of New England are made of this rock crushed. — *Massive granite wall from Center Sandwich, NH. The sand beaches of New England are made of this rock crushed*.