"First, they're not rocks.
They're boulders made of rock.
Boulder is the object. Rock is the material.
If we don't call a common nail "steel," or a Windsor chair "wood," then we shouldn't call a boulder "rock."
And technically, each boulder is a stone..." - Prof. Thorson
Glen (Boulder) Rock NH
Glen Rock NJ
“Glen Rock was formed on
September 14, 1894, from portions of Ridgewood Township and Saddle River
Township, "that being the year the county went crazy on boroughs."
Glen Rock was settled around an enormous rock left by retreating glaciers in a
small valley (glen). From a 1985 article in The New York Times, "Glen Rock
is named for a 570-ton boulder, believed to have been deposited by a glacier,
that stands at the northern end of Rock Road, the town's main street. Called
Pamachapura, or Stone from Heaven, by the Delaware (Lenape) Indians, it served
as a base for Indian signal fires and later as a trail marker for
colonists."
Erratics
wolf Nipmuck Trail
- Wolf Rock -- Glacial erratic boulder perched on top of cliff.
current currant boulder: Glacial Boulder Highlight Of
Preserve
“A huge boulder sits perched on
the side of a 40-foot cliff like some giant placed it there eons ago.
And it's
a must-see sight within the 95-acre preserve owned by Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust. The large circular
boulder, a remnant of the retreat of the last glacier, balances near the edge
of a cliff and provides a captivating view of the surrounding hills and
valleys…the rock was mentioned in local deeds as
early as the late 18th century. Over the years, the rock and surrounding ledges
have been known as "Wolfpit Rocks," Woolfes Rocks" and Wolfe's
Rocks." Whatever the name, the rocks were probably visited by a few wolves
before settlers and a special wolf bounty eventually wiped them out of the
state.”
The Willimantic River's Great Split Rock
Boulder, Lost Scripture Bridge
“…a split-rock boulder.
You can't miss this boulder,
and it's one of the strangest sights you will ever see along a river. The
7-foot rock with a huge split down its side absolutely towers over the other
boulders as if a giant placed it there, just more evidence of the haphazard
path of a retreating glacier. The trail ends at the boulder unless you are a
fan of bushwhacking.
There are numerous paths and
forest roads visitors can take, past abandoned farm fields and gravel pits. A
walk along Babcock Road will take visitors through the heart of Kollar, where
smaller trails jut off the roadway. If you have the time, Kollar has much to
offer.
The Nipmuck Indians once called
this area "Owwaenunggannunck" – or "here people go to catch
salmon."
Finding History In Old Boulder
, October 27, 2006
In a
state where there's no shortage of rocks in the ground, it seems every town has
a famous boulder. Haddam has its "Bible Rock," so named because it is
shaped like an open Bible. Union has its "Cats Rocks," a series of
house-sized boulders that once sheltered felines from mountain lions to
bobcats. Hebron has its "Prophet's Rock," a large boulder where five
women took shelter one summer night in 1705 "fearing the wolves would
regale themselves upon their delicious bodies," as former Gov. John S.
Peters recounted in his memoirs.
Hartford's Stone Field, Symbol Of Resistance
, October 20, 2011
Occupying
Hartford since 1977, and targeting the state Capitol, is a permanent symbol of
resistance — geological resistance, impervious to wind, rain, cold, hunger and
boredom. I refer to the Stone Field Sculpture by Carl Andre, euphoniously
located at the corner of Gold and Main. There they sit: 36 native rock
boulders, patiently ignoring the news of the day and the slush of opinion,
symbols of stability even more durable than the architecturally wrought stone
buildings surrounding them.
In the
words of former Mayor George Athanson, however, it's "just a bunch of
rocks," adding, "little kids could do it."
Wilkins is right. Athanson was
wrong.
First, they're not rocks.
They're boulders made of rock. Boulder is the object. Rock is the material. If
we don't call a common nail "steel," or a Windsor chair
"wood," then we shouldn't call a boulder "rock." And
technically, each boulder is a stone, generally with a crudely rounded shape,
the larger ones having been milled by the shearing action of glacial ice and
the smaller ones tumbled by torrents of water.
Second, they're not a bunch.
That plural noun connotes a clustered disorder. In contrast, the Stone Field
Sculpture is artistically arranged as a geometric array, with parallel rows of
stone increasing in size and diminishing in number to the west. Collectively, they
define a wedge symbolically pointing toward the state Capitol.
Third, little kids could not do
it.
Fourth, the tip of the wedge,
reportedly a 10-ton boulder, is the perfect place to reflect on the
under-appreciated beauty of Hartford's architectural stone: marble, brownstone,
granite, brick, limestone, sandstone, bluestone, slate and all that. That's why
I chose that boulder as the rendezvous point for a walking field trip on the
urban geology of Hartford, which I'm running this Saturday at noon. This trip,
sponsored by Real Art Ways as part of its 35th anniversary celebration,
complements one I ran last summer in the rural highlands of eastern
Connecticut.
split: Points
of Interest
Split
Rock
This
boulder with a wide crack gives the trail its name. Little ones are welcome to
climb the rock and explore its crevices.
Anchoring
the Wall
If a
boulder was too large to move, early farmers often incorporated it into their
pasture walls. Here is a good example of this labor-saving strategy.
Millstone Trail:
Last of the Montauks???
"The image of Indian Prayer
Rock, seen above, shows a plaque that was placed there to commemorate the 30th
anniversary of the Bronx Parks system. The plaque is long gone, but local
historian Jorge Santiago found the holes left by screws once holding it in
place. According to a 1913 article from The New York Times researched
by Mr. Santiago, the Indian Prayer Rock plaque was one of six plaques placed in
Bronx Parks at 30th anniversary ceremonies. Scouts, soldiers, bands and noted
speakers all participated in those festivities, with the Parks Commissioner and
Borough President on hand to pledge support for the preservation and upkeep of
Bronx parks."
