Humanity seems obsessed with boundaries: political borders, prison fences, restraining orders, or even the doors we close for solitude. Yet our need for connection often outweighs our need to exclude. Indeed, history shows that even the mightiest walls, such as Hadrian’s Wall, the Great Wall of China, and the Berlin Wall, become ruins.
Stone structures like walls, cairns, and henges have been built since prehistoric times, serving as defenses, way markers, or sacred sites. While Europe holds many famous examples, the US boasts centuries-old walls, too, often simple markers of farmland or property, but built with surprisingly advanced techniques. In particular, New England’s stone walls stand out. Today, they are as much cultural landmarks as they are windows into the past.
Click through this gallery to explore New England’s stone walls and discover the timeless stories they hold of the American countryside.