The Dry Stone Conservancy will celebrate its 25th Anniversary with America’s First 25-Hour Rock Fence Building Marathon in Lexington, at McConnell Springs Park.
America’s First Rock Fence Building Marathon will be open to the public beginning at noon on Saturday, June 26, working continuously through the night, and ending at 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 27.
This is the first-of-its-type event for the United States. A 25-hour continuous rock fence building marathon has never been attempted anywhere in America. The Dry Stone Conservancy fully intends to find out the answer to the age old question: “how much rock fence can be built in 25 hours?”
Kentucky has a rich tradition in building dry-laid rock fences, many miles of which still remain over 200 years later gracing our landscape. The Dry Stone Conservancy was created in 1996 in response to an increased need for skilled masons in central Kentucky. Throughout the DSC’s 25 years of existence thousands of masons and general public enthusiasts have trained countless hours on rock fences all over Kentucky and the United States. To pay tribute to its 25 years of preserving and promoting the craft of dry stone masonry the Dry Stone Conservancy will spearhead the event to construct a rock fence for 25 continuous hours using volunteer shifts of masons and trainees from all over the country who have participated in its training and restoration activities.