Cardinal Valley in Lexington in Fayette County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

Rock Fence

Photographed by Craig Doda, March 21, 2022

1. Rock Fence Marker

Inscription. The rock fences in the park were most likely built between the 1830s and 1880s by Irish masons. The fences would have been built to keep livestock contained as well as keep undesirable animals such as predators out. The fences were built of locally quarried rock, and were constructed in, the dry-lay style, meaning no mortar was used to hold the rock together. Instead, they are held together by gravity and frictional resistance. Portions of the rock fences have been rebuilt or repaired in recent years with assistance from the Dry Stone Conservancy.

1901 Photograph of Cahill tobacco barn and stone barn, with rock fence, now McConnell Springs.
Dry Stone Conservancy volunteers working on rock fence restoration at McConnell Springs.
1950s photograph of McConnell Springs, with existing rock fences (Photo by Robert T. Taylor, Jr.)
Funded in part by the Friends of McConnell Springs and the Society of Colonial Wars in the Commonwealth of Kentucky

Erected by the Society of Colonial Wars in the Commonwealth of Kentucky Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Parks & Recreation.

Topics. This historical

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marker is listed in this topic list: Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1901.

Location. 38° 3.224′ N, 84° 31.848′ W. Marker is in Lexington, Kentucky, in Fayette County. It is in Cardinal Valley. It can be reached from Rebmann Lane. Located deep within the 26-acre McConnell Springs Park (about a 1500 foot walk). Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lexington KY 40502, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Barn Foundation (within shouting distance of this marker); Rock Quarry (within shouting distance of this marker); Bur Oak (within shouting distance of this marker); Building Foundation (within shouting distance of this marker);

Photographed by Craig Doda, March 21, 2022

2. Rock Fence Marker

McConnell Springs Park (approx. 0.2 miles away); McConnell Springs (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lexington Named / Lexington Settled (approx. 0.3 miles away); Preston's Cave Spring (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lexington.

Photographed by Craig Doda, March 21, 2022

3. Rock Fence Marker

Photographed by Craig Doda, March 21, 2022

4. Rock Fence Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 29, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 702 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 29, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.