2019 Fall, Dry Laid Stone Granite Retaining Wall 2'/3' High - 75' Long.
Historica walls believe to pre date 1920's most likely build in the late 1800's. All granite stone from walking distance. Two quarries in the Historic Ellicott City area. Quarry #1 was in Baltimore County where High's convenience store currently sites. This quarry was clearly open later and from evidence of newer construction in the town. Evident in this wall which had the blue/black speckled stone clearly added later to sections of the top beginning and end of wall. The #2 quarry was down the railroad tracks across the river from the Baltimore Co. quarry. This quarry was clearly open the earliest due to many of the oldest builds and structures are built with the pinkish granite.
The wall had to be Rebuild due to vehicle damage, improper methods of walling and elements of mother nature. The wall ranges from 2'-3' and has be rebuilt with 3 types of granite the blue, pink and a black which is also native to the area. The black granite is the hardest of the 3 but clearly not necessarily a granite since it does have fault lines. The pink beining the softest. This black stone can be found from Ellicott city all the way north to White Marsh Maryland and possibly Havre De Grace. Much of the back walls were built with the black stones many of the shapes to resemble a quarried rip rap. The wall also has been moved back up to 6' off the white line to help vehicle traffic safely make the tight turn. In addition the wall has a new added batter since many of the walls had been built vertical due to the nature of splitting the stones with a method called feather and wedging. This method became very popular across the US in the 1800's for quarries splitting granite. The wall also now has an additional added foundation with a hard sandstone from Scranton PA. Lastly to the updated design was been tie stones mixed in at any of the upper levels when possible to help strength the wall as a unit. Many of these tie stones are repurposed granite tombstones ranging up to 30" long.
The first section of wall to be rebuilt was a total length of 75' . With an additional 78' currently undergoing historical approval regarding additional tree removal to continue. Historic Ellicott City is full of dry laid stone walls many of which the same size and patterns. Others a bit different. I'm the first to help Howard county identify there construction and assist them with understanding how to rebuild them when and if they fail in the future. This is truly and honor as a single owner and operator to honor those who put some much of there hard work into quarrying this stones and the masons who then shaped and set them in place. Currently there is no documentation or records at this time know. My hopes are with the Historical Society and the commision we may find ways to help identify more of their origin and history to document them for others to come.
