Extra carvings discovered on mysterious rock faraway from Orono woods
A rock bearing century-old carvings has been moved from its former resting spot within the woods close to the Orono-Outdated City line to its new house on the Outdated City Museum.
Museum president Eisso Atzema stated crews on Tuesday introduced an excavator to the location, which is between the Penobscot River and the railroad tracks and owned by Mike Thornton of Milford-based Thornton Development. They rigorously dug up the rock, a big piece of granite that was partially buried within the soil, doubtless deposited there by a glacier over the past Ice Age.
In the course of the excavation, the rock cut up into three massive items, which Atzema stated made it simpler to move, as one of many items doesn’t have any carvings on it. The opposite two items have carvings. At the least three extra inscriptions can now be made out, and there presumably are extra that may’t but be seen, Atzema stated.
Initially, Aztema and native artist Kathy Pollard, who found the inscriptions throughout a spring stroll within the woods, may make out names carved on the rock, like McMahon, McClair, Sawyer, Chelsea and Rayes, in addition to dates together with 1892 and 1894. There’s additionally a reference to Fort Howe, a fort inbuilt what’s now Saint John, New Brunswick, throughout the Revolutionary Warfare.
Now that the rock is excavated, and Thornton and his crew power-washed it and scrubbed off moss and lichen, Atzema stated they’ll make out three new carvings. The primary one noticed was the phrase “Shorty,” which is probably going somebody’s nickname. The second is what seems to be a fraction of a sentence, with the phrases “as can pink” written out.
Atzema additionally recognized the phrases “St John, NB,” on the finish of another textual content that’s unreadable. It lends additional credence to the idea that the carvers could have been railroad employees, stopping off between St. John and Orono someday within the late nineteenth century.
The 2 items bearing the carvings at the moment are positioned outdoors the Outdated City Museum, straight subsequent to its entrance entrance. Atzema stated he and museum volunteers plan to do rubbings everywhere in the rocks to see if any extra carvings will be made out, and likewise take high-contrast photographs to see if that would assist enhance the readability.
The Outdated City Museum is positioned at 353 Fundamental St. in Outdated City. Its hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, however the rocks are positioned outdoors and will be considered anytime.
