Central Kentucky's Legendary Rock Fences

Central Kentucky is world famous for Thoroughbred horses and endless miles of rock fences (Dry stone walls).

There are more rock fences here than any place in the USA. In Central Kentucky only 5 -10% of these 19th century fences built by Irish Immigrant stonemasons still stand. 

These stonemasons passed their craft on to black slaves that became masters of the craft of building walls. This is where the term,"slave walls" came about. Since I grew up here in the Bluegrass, this is what I had always thought they were. I had no idea that the walls originated with the Irish immigration to the Bluegrass!

Our walls are mostly built with local limestone that is plentiful in the fields. Once cleared and prepared for agriculture, the stone was easily used as border walls to pastures. All the stones are laid free-handed with no mortar. My examples below were taken a couple of days ago on Spears Mill Rd. in Bourbon County, Kentucky. These walls are where the bridge crosses Stoner Creek.

Building these fences has almost become a lost art. Dry Stone Conservancy in Lexington, KY is dedicated to preserving dry-stone structures and training a new generation of artisans in their construction and maintenance.

Fayette and Scott counties have ordinances to prevent removal of rock fences in public rights-of-way. This has protected many from disappearing forever. When they get damaged in large sections from accidents it is difficult to restore them and many just fade away.

I drive by these everyday and I have to respect the time that went in to design and building them from materials from our beautiful land.

Every now and then you see the bumper sticker that says, "Growth Destroys Bluegrass Forever". It is true.

I always laugh and tell people that I live in the land where time stands still... but I do see it fading away stone by stone. Sad that we all want progress and conveniences. One day in the future all this will just be these few pictures I took on a sunny March day in 2008. A moment in time.

Kentucky ROCKS!

Come see it now.

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Lizette Fitzpatrick - Baby Boomer Real Estate Relocation Specialist with Prudential Don Foster in Richmond, Kentucky.

Rated number #1 featured Kentucky Realtor®  on Activerain.com and Localism.com. Publisher/Author for the only Central Kentucky email newsletter on local real estate listings and sold properties, Kentucky relocation, local events, homeowner information and fun! For more information on Lizette, Kentucky Horse Farms, Prudential Don Foster, Madison County, Fayette County, Richmond or Lexington, Kentucky click on Lizette.us.

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