Fieldstone Wall

 
Here in Michigan stone available for building is so different from where I grew up in the East. Michigan is sand, sand, sand, with millions of large and small glacially deposited, rolled rocks.

Dry stone walls don't happen much with round rocks. That didn't stop people from using what they had. Here's the foundation wall for a barn, cow shed, or some such thing, probably 150-ish years old.



The upper, wooden structural part is long gone. A tree has even grown in the door. You could write a fairy tale about this place!




Sure looks like dry stones, doesn't it?




However, since only two walls remain, the end shows us its secret. Heavy mortar in the center. I think careful rock placement would also be important. But the integrity of the wall demonstrates that it sure worked.




And a blue sky brightened the day a whole lot, too!

	See Leonidas School
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Michigan Fieldstone - Leonidas School

 
While I was visiting with Ester this weekend, she took me to see some local places of interest. This is the school building in the (very) small village of Leonidas.



I think this is the most impressive fieldstone building I've ever seen. Michigan fieldstone is generally rounded rocks of various sizes which are all compliments of the last ice age.



The rocks aren't all of one type. These were all dragged here from elsewhere by the glaciers and then left behind when the ice melted. Although the soil is not as full of them as many places in New England, there are still plenty to choose from.



And Michigan doesn't have bedrock from which to cut squared stones. So, people are always going to build things from the materials at hand. And some people can turn it into an art form. Think of the number of rocks that had to be collected, sorted into sizes and shapes, and then arranged into the patterns evident on this building.



I think attending school in a place like this would be inspiring!



I've previously shown you only one other Michigan fieldstone house (see link below), but I think I'll make it a point to take pictures of more.

	See On the Way Home
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On the Way Home (With Qualifiers)

 
My program this morning went really well. The group, although not hikers, were really engaged and asked a ton of questions. And several of them bought books. Hooray! (North Country Cache)

I was on my way home shortly after noon. Here's a view of the Lakeview Hotel in the daylight. Supposedly we actually had a lake view from our room. Did I remember to look for it in the light? No. All I can tell you is that you can not see the lake in the dark.



The weather was much better today. The roads were pretty clear and the sun shining, so I drove home by my less-main-route that I like better. One town on the way is Manton. Here there is a mural on a wall beside the railroad tracks. The tracks were originally the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad. Then it was bought by Penn Central. They sold this section and it became the Tuscola and Saginaw Bay RR. Currently it's part of the Great Lakes Central line, a passenger service with a number of short sections of line. As for the picture... there was no label and I couldn't find out anything about it on line.



The last sight to share is a Michigan fieldstone house. Michigan doesn't have limestone or sandstone which can be cut into blocks. Michigan doesn't have shale which breaks naturally into rough rectangles. Michigan's Lower Peninsula doesn't have any rock near the surface. The bedrock is safely hidden many feet under lots of sand, and when you get to it, it's basalt. However, the LP does have rocks, plural. These are rounded rocks, dragged, scraped, rolled and dropped by the last glaciation. They don't stack well. But if you have some sort of mortar and a lot of patience, you can build a house. Actually, this looks like it was originally a school.



Tomorrow- work at the paper again.

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