News & Features
October 2005

In search of stones gathering moss
By Ron Couture
Historical Commission

It is said that mankind was given instructions on how to lead the good life in stone, for centuries we have used stone to shelter us, to pave our roads and when we die, mark the spot where our weary bones are laid.

This story is about the stones of our ancestors and how they used them. I guess you can say that stones in New England were and in some cases, still are, very plentiful. At first, if we were to make any kind of living out of this land we needed to clear the trees and move all the rocks left during the ice age. It took years for the average settler to move the thousands of stones that make up the walls we see today. In fact, a line of these "glacier droppings" runs essentially from Maine to New Jersey with Central Massachusetts having one of the most concentrated areas of stone walls.

You can trace our historic walls and the learn about them on Saturday, November 5, when Robert M. Thorson professor of geology and geophysics at the
University of Connecticut whose specialty is the origin and nature of land forms will be walking part of our new Quaboag - Old Brookfield Path pointing out the many styles and construction of stonewalls. The walk starts at 9 a.m. and includes lunch from the Tip Top and ends with an exhibit of stonewall paintings, prints and photographs at Riverbend Gallery. The walk is limited in size, so sign up quickly by calling "Active by Nature" at (978) 928-3306 or by e-mailing info@activebynature.com. They are the terrific people putting this jaunt together. So have a nice walk in the woods and learn from our past.

The view from the top of Cooley Hill is spectacular, and I can assure you that you will see plenty of stones gathering moss!