Brownstone arch is an odd name for an amazing piece of equipment.

Wheel detail, brownstone arch.

“The Holt Brothers and Redding Iron Works of California manufactured and shipped logging arches throughout the U.S, in the late 1800s. Pulled by teams of oxen, arches were used in Portland to transfer cut brownstone from the quarries. The arch was donated to the Town in 1914 by a local quarry company. The arch was kept outdoors, and the wood rotted. In 1969 it was rebuilt, and again the wood decayed over time. In 1999, Eddie and Joseph Chiabrero and William P. Long of Portland, rebuilt the arch in their workshop on Cotton Hill Road, using their mill to saw the white oak lumber. Square washers were hand crafted and forging was done, bending and fitting iron to its original shape….”

– signage near the arch donated by The Portland Exchange Club

A fascinating look at similar machines may be seen inside Jinkers and Whims: A Pictorial History of Timber-Getting by Jack Bradshaw. Teams of horses and oxen, terminology of the industry – many photos.

Food for thought: There were no photographic possibilities in 1763; cameras weren't yet invented. To capture a likeness meant trying to do so in stone or paint, ink … even stitching with colored threads. So this image carved in brownstone is all the more remarkable – a testament to the carver and perhaps to the human portrayed – gone at 26 and “much beloved and lamented.” On closer inspection, it appears to also feature a small carved cat face in the decorated area below the human chin of the portrait. If true, a pet cat on a memorial stone of this age would be highly unusual. There's a story waiting to be written about his life, the carver – and the details of this unique stone.

A carved portrait in stone. CB/MDP

Connecticut Gravestone Network (CGN) is “dedicated to protecting Connecticut's old burying grounds and preserving their historic significance. CGN provides a communication resource with an emphasis on promoting and encouraging public awareness and safe conservation. We also support those interested in all other aspects of gravestone studies. We welcome all who have an interest in preserving history, gravestone art work & old epitaphs, and have respect, in general, for the importance of our cemeteries.” For more information and a wealth of resources, contact Ruthie at ctgravelady@cox.net; (860) 643-5652.