Biweekly Newsletter

STONE WALLS
One more time with stone artifacts and I promise I will stop. Often overlooked as important artifacts from the past, stonewalls, and other stone structures, created or edited by man, are a window into the history of New England and its original small farming communities. One of those communities is Easton. Glacial stone is enduring, unlike wood, clay, glass or paper. Here are a few things of interest.

A beautiful wall along South Street.
A member steered me toward a stone tunnel under the railroad tracks, most likely used for livestock crossing once the train went through. Neighborhood children remember playing in it.

This tunnel runs under the railroad line in North Easton.

I love this photo from sometime before 1909 when the trolleys stopped running. Five Corners looked very different. Photo EHS.

"There is life in a stone. Any stone that sits in a field or lies on a beach takes on the memory of that place. You can feel that stones have witnessed so many things." Quote from Andy Goldsworthy.


If this is true and I hope it is, the old stone walls hidden in the woods, the lichen covered ruins in disarray, and the stately boulders of the Rockery must all hold on to memories of our past. Nothing is ever really gone. While some perhaps see the old stone walls and ruins as an unsightly nuisance, many love them for what they represent. They speak of our communal past- in New England, and here in Easton in particular.
Today many street names still reflect Easton’s rural past- Randall Farm Drive, Andrews Farm Road, Deer Meadow, Beaver Dam, Scotch Dam Road, Sawmill Lane, Cranberry Lane, Olde Farm Road. Perhaps we are nostalgic for the past.
Some stone walls in New England have been re-purposed for other projects. While this may be practical in some cases, we should also remember that the walls are artifacts from the past and as such are a precious window into our common history. So, while you’re enjoying a walk in the woods or a stroll along Easton’s streets, keep an eye out for these beautiful reminders of our agricultural past.

From 1895: Around 469 Bay Road looking south.

From 1910: Around 97 Massapoag Avenue

Anne Wooster Drury

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