Breaking Stones with Feathers

Breaking Stones with Feathers. . , The wall of granite ahead is the remnant of a small quarry. Granite from this site may have been used in the construction of the canal locks or canal arch in this park.,

Quarrying was a major industry in Richmond during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The city's location on the Fall Line yields a natural abundance of this hard stone. Local granite can be found in old curbstones and sidewalks throughout the city and is a prominent feature throughout Shockoe Slip.

, Look for a series of finger sized grooves along the edge of a piece of granite in front of you. These marks were made by a rock splitting techniques called the "Feather and Wedge" system., A series of holes was drilled in a straight line where the stone was to be split., Two "L"-shaped pieces of iron (called "feathers") were placed in the holes and a wedge was hammered down between them., The feathers allowed the wedge to be loosened and pressure to be readjusted. When the pressure was even the stone would split in a straight line., As you explore this park, try to find these marks on the walls of the canal and Pump House.