Stone Walls Revisoned

" In 1871 there were 252,539 miles of stone walls in New England and New York..."

Walk in the woods of New England and you'll probably find the remnants of a stone wall. Walls to separate, walls as boundaries, walls that fenced in cow pastures and cemeteries. The construction of a stone wall is beautiful. Each rock must find its place—a snug fit. Rocks were methodically fitted together and in some of the early colonies there were even fence inspectors. Even when stone walls outgrew their original functions they remained a characteristic of New England.

These photos were taken in Provincetown, MA. The stones, set in place by an Italian artisan, surround a rather large home. The master stone builder added his own flourish to the walls.