Building a stone wall was a back - breaking job. In handling stones one had to be careful; the stones were heavy and so were the crow-bars and chains used to move them.
When laying a stone wall, the first thing to do was to clear the space of brush and stumps for the width needed, about four feet. Stakes were driven into the ground every few rods to keep the two sides straight. They worked on a stretch of about twenty feet, laying the large stones first so that the next layer would have a sturdy bed. The stones were placed so that they would tie the wall together length wise and cross wise, and also keep the outer edges flush. Small stones were used to fill in the spaces in the center of the wall.
To remove a large stone from the ground, it was necessary to put chains around it and hitch a team of oxen or horses to pull it out and onto a stone boat. Then it was drawn over to the wall where it could be drawn into place for the wall. When they built those walls they used all the stones in the area, finding a place for each one as they cleared the land. By keep- ing the foundation laid ahead, it gave them a chance to place the smaller stones in the best fashion and the land was finally cleared. Many hundreds of acres were fenced in this way in order to make a farm where a man could get a living and be independent and these stone walls show that he meant to stay there.
Every wall needed a bar-way for driving wagons through or cattle. The posts at each end were of chestnut. Using a log ten feet long and twelve inches in diameter it was split length wise and set in the ground about four feet. Using an auger, four slots were carved at even intervals to hold the bars. The bar rails were shaped smooth at one end to slide through the slots, so that the bars could be opened easily to allow a team and cart to pass through for planting or harvest.
These were strong-hearted men. Old stone walls were pieces of art. They call out to be followed over hills and down to the brook passing through blueberry patches and still standing on ledges straight and true. I wish I might have seen them when they were first built years ago, standing solid and guarding good fields of corn and grain around the old home- stead. Now they are broken and scattered. But they still mark out the old boundaries and enclose the old roads that can be found through the woods today.
When laying a stone wall, the first thing to do was to clear the space of brush and stumps for the width needed, about four feet. Stakes were driven into the ground every few rods to keep the two sides straight. They worked on a stretch of about twenty feet, laying the large stones first so that the next layer would have a sturdy bed. The stones were placed so that they would tie the wall together length wise and cross wise, and also keep the outer edges flush. Small stones were used to fill in the spaces in the center of the wall.
To remove a large stone from the ground, it was necessary to put chains around it and hitch a team of oxen or horses to pull it out and onto a stone boat. Then it was drawn over to the wall where it could be drawn into place for the wall. When they built those walls they used all the stones in the area, finding a place for each one as they cleared the land. By keep- ing the foundation laid ahead, it gave them a chance to place the smaller stones in the best fashion and the land was finally cleared. Many hundreds of acres were fenced in this way in order to make a farm where a man could get a living and be independent and these stone walls show that he meant to stay there.
Every wall needed a bar-way for driving wagons through or cattle. The posts at each end were of chestnut. Using a log ten feet long and twelve inches in diameter it was split length wise and set in the ground about four feet. Using an auger, four slots were carved at even intervals to hold the bars. The bar rails were shaped smooth at one end to slide through the slots, so that the bars could be opened easily to allow a team and cart to pass through for planting or harvest.
These were strong-hearted men. Old stone walls were pieces of art. They call out to be followed over hills and down to the brook passing through blueberry patches and still standing on ledges straight and true. I wish I might have seen them when they were first built years ago, standing solid and guarding good fields of corn and grain around the old home- stead. Now they are broken and scattered. But they still mark out the old boundaries and enclose the old roads that can be found through the woods today.