Town Of Portsmouth: Stonewall Repair Program July 12 To Sept 8 -Information Session June 28

Press release from the Town of Portsmouth:

June 13, 2023

PRESERVE RI, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF NEWPORT COUNTY, ANNOUNCES NEW STONEWALL REPAIR TRAINING PROGRAM

The Aquidneck Stone Wall Volunteer Corps invites new volunteers to learn the art of dry stone walling and help preserve a historic landscape feature at Glen Farms on Aquidneck Island. The program is led by Robert Faraone, a talented stone mason certified through the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain.

This program will run July 12th to September 8th. An information session will be held via zoom on Wednesday June 28th at 6:00 PM. For more information or to register for the information session please visit https://www.aquidneckstonewalls.org/volunteer or email esheridan@preserveri.org.

The art of dry stone walling concerns the knowledge of making stone constructions by stacking stones upon one another, without using any other materials such as mortar. Volunteers will learn the centuries old skill of strategic selection and placement of stones to create walls that will continue to stand for decades to come.

“Aquidneck Island’s surviving historic landscapes are fragmented, in varying states of repair, and increasingly threatened by development and decay. By repairing stone walls around some of the island’s most valued open spaces we seek to mend the landscape and improve the historic and scenic quality of the Island,” Valerie Talmage, Executive Director of Preserve Rhode Island.

About the Stone Wall Initiative

The Aquidneck Stone Wall Initiative is a joint effort led by The Preservation Society of Newport County and Preserve Rhode Island. It is intended to protect and improve Aquidneck Island’s scenic quality by preserving its historic stone walls. Stone walls are visible reminders of the Island’s rural agricultural history and contribute to its sense of place and scenic character.

With generous support from the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, The Preservation Society of Newport County and Preserve Rhode Island are helping property owners restore stone walls through community engagement, education, and contractor facilitation.

Photos at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18doE-3Hd5xeu2FOXpKAjIJVlej66BPqT?usp=sharing

About Preserve Rhode Island

Preserve Rhode Island is Rhode Island’s statewide advocate for historic places. The 65-year-old nonprofit provides guidance for local preservation groups, finds productive and adaptive reuses for threatened buildings, advocates for the revitalization of historic places to stimulate local economies and engages the community through public programs at Lippitt House Museum.

About the Preservation Society of Newport County

The Preservation Society of Newport County is a private, non-profit organization based in Newport, Rhode Island. It is Rhode Island's largest and most-visited cultural organization.

Media Inquiries:

Emma Sheridan, Program Coordinator

esheridan@preserveri.org

mobile: 703.472.9338

www.preserveri.org

More Program Info

This press release was produced by the Town of Portsmouth. The views expressed here are the author’s own.