Block of gneiss, which makes up the becrock beneath Mansfield, CT

Events for Spring Season, 2008

Block of Hebron Gneiss above the soccer field in Mansfield, CT.

EXPLANATION OF CALENDAR

All presentations are by Robert M. Thorson, and about some aspect of stone walls, unless otherwise indicated. Specifics are included where warranted.

Events in plain black text are usually free and open to the public.
Events in red text may be restricted in some way, either by pre-registration, tickets, or at the discretion of the local contact person (Be sure to contact the them before attending.).
Events in blue text are listed solely for the sake of event arrangement. (For example, do not request a date that is already booked.) They are either private or unrelated to stone walls.
Events in brown text have passed, but are kept to inform readers about the places and kinds of programs.
Events with missing information will be completed when possible.

ALL EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

NOT COMPLETE FOR EVENTS AFTER MARCH 11

May 7 – Framingham, MA – Wednesday evening at 7:00

Framingham Historical Society Museum. Title: Historic Stone Walls in Massachusetts: A Conservation Issue. Presentation followed by discussion with the Honorable Representative Pamela Sawyer about regulation/management of historic stone walls. Framingham Public Library. Contact Michelle LeMonde-McIntyre. With permission, I copy their announcement below:

Historic fieldstone walls are the signature landforms of rural New England. Understanding why they should be conserved, especially at the local level, requires viewing them as cultural resources through the lens of colonial and yankee work practices, and as ecological resources through the lens of habitat diversification. Professor Thorson will review the history and geography of stone walls with special attention to the local area.

May 10 – Grafton, VT – Saturday PM

Grafton Historical Society Field Meeting/Reconnaissance. For the organization only; they are mapping stone walls and cellar holes as a community project.

Contact Richard Warren

May 22 – Westfield, MA – Thursday Evening

Windy River Land Conservancy Annual Banquet;

Contact: Mary Elizabeth Marten.

May 28 – Storrs, CT – Wednesday 11:05-12:05 PM and 12:05-1:00

EASTCONN: Forensics Sciences Symposium: Interdistrict diversity grant. Presentations on Clues from stones and stonewalls about how old, why, and by whom. Talk at UCONN’s Bishop Center.

Contact: Mary Lou Smith : 860-455-0707 ext 3045

June 2 -- Hartland, Connecticut -- Monday 7:00-8:00 PM

Hartland Land Trust Annual Forum. Location details to follow.

A Sense of Time and Place: Understanding and Conserving Stone Walls

Professor Thorson will describe the stone walls of northwestern Connecticut , placing them into a regional and national context. He will also discuss why conservation of these “dryland” stone walls is an important element of resource management . If there’s time, he will explain the glaciology of Hartland’s “Balancing Rock.” Copies of his books will be available for purchase and signing.

Contact Fred JOnes

June 14 – West Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard, CT – Saturday, 10AM to Noon

Polly Hill Arboretum and Martha's Vineyard Museum. Talk on New England's Stone Walls, followed by a walk/tour of the aroboretum grounds. With permission, I copy below the description.

*New England** Stone Walls*-- Saturday, June 14 -- 10am – noon -- From rugged coastline, granite ledges, and lichen-covered glacial boulders to the signature stone walls that ribbon our forests and fields, the New England landscape is defined by stone. Martha’s Vineyard is no exception: the presence of stone walls in our landscape reflect the history of the Island and its people. Join *Robert Thorson, *professor of geology at the University of Connecticut, for a closer look at the cultural and environmental history of stone walls. After an illustrated talk he will lead the group on a tour to explore the stone walls on Arboretum grounds and the adjoining property of the Martha’s Vineyard Museum (MVM). Thorson’s book, /Stone by Stone: the Magnificent History in New England's Stone Walls, /will be available. -- $24/$20 for PHA and MVM members. Co-sponsored by the MVM.