For years, Westporters have marveled at the pop-up rock sculptures that appear randomly on the now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t marshland between Schlaet’s Point (the north end of Compo Beach) and the Hillspoint Road curve toward Elvira’s.
Eventually they collapse, from the effects of wind and tides. Nice while they last, they’re mostly the work of Jerry Kuyper.
The other day, alert “06880” reader John Karrel noticed a different type of stone structure at Burying Hill Beach. It’s sturdier — more wall-like — but equally mysterious.
Preparations for a winter solstice festival? An homage to the original Bankside Farmers? Nature working in wondrous ways?
If you have any ideas — or know the back story — click “Comments” below.
I wish I had thought of that:)
ditto:)
A Westport-styled inuksuk?
Actually, inuksuk anirnilik (inuksuk with a spirit). Or, inuksuk quviasuktuq (inuksuk expressing joy)?
Yikes, hope it’s not a pirujaqarvik (where the meat cache is)!
Have you ever noticed the abundance of rocks at Burying Hill as compared to Sherwood Island and Compo? Perhaps the more rocks provide for a larger creation. I walk at all three beaches and I am always puzzled why Burying Hill has so little sand and so much more rocks.
Because sand is imported into Compo every Spring.
I will be sure to see if the town would be willing to share some sand.
Let’s see how well the town plays in the sandbox!
I see two heart-shaped rocks in the photo, which some people like to collect.
Burying Hill has always been rocky. When I was a lifeguard there 20+ years ago it was always tough for older people to get in and swim.
I hope not a hommage to the Bankside Farmers as , they were the men who probably “stole ” the property from the Pequot tribe. The real bankside farmers. From Wiki
In 1633, an epidemic devastated all of the region’s Native population. Historians estimate that the Pequot suffered the loss of 80% of their population. At the outbreak of the Pequot War, Pequot survivors may have numbered only about 3,000.[7]
Historically, the Pequot spoke a dialect of the Mohegan-Pequot language, an Eastern Algonquian language. After the Treaty of Hartford concluded the Pequot War in 1637, the colonists made speaking the language a capital offense. Within a generation or so, it became largely extinct. The Pequot from both the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation and Mashantucket Pequot speak English as their primary language.
I don’t think the indians here were Pequot. The Pequots were chased down here by John Mason and other English from Mystic.
Apparently the Eastern Fairfield County native Americans were Paugussetts.
http://www.remyc.com/Paugussetts.html
Along the coast (e.g. Westport), apparently the Pequonnock subgroup
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Hill_Paugussett_Indian_Nation
Pequots were in central/eastern CT
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pequot_people#History
http://kindredtrails.com/Connecticut-History-1.html
Might never have known if I hadn’t read Dan’s blog and Jack’s comment and decided to Google. Of course, Google can be wrong but there seems to be a number of sources. Thanks Dan and Jack!
Pequot Library. What is the History there? (I’ve only been there once, upon a time).
The last battle of the Pequot War happened in Southport. The colonists were chasing the Pequots down the coast from Mystic and caught up with them in Southport.
Apparently the Eastern Fairfield county native Americans were Paugussetts.
http://www.remyc.com/Paugussetts.html
Along the coast (e.g. Westport), apparently the Pequonnock subgroup
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Hill_Paugussett_Indian_Nation
Pequots were in central/eastern CT
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pequot_people#History
http://kindredtrails.com/Connecticut-History-1.html
Might not have ever known if I hadn’t read Dan’s blog and Jack’s comment and decided to Google. Of course, Google can be wrong but seem to be a number of sources. Thanks Dan and Jack!
Last guess: Qajakkuviit (kayak rests) in a camp.
How about “I wish I were Andy Goldsworthy” for the meaning?
Let sleeping dogs lie.
Or cats?
Careful linking WSPT private property to North American Indian tribes, there is a request before the current pope requesting, http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/vatican-may-be-asked-to-revoke-papal-bulls-that-granted-explorers-right-to-conquer-new-world-and-heathen-aboriginals.
IF that request were granted in total, it would undermine all subsequent land rights, like a domino effect, albeit it would have to be enforced. Certainly a lot of civil rights advocates would then have their own well-earned private property at risk of being appropriated/confiscated in the name of North American Indian rights, quite a conundrum.
(The recently concluded truth and reconciliation commission in Canada, TRC-Canada, served as a catalyst by which this request of vatican was made; Work done so that TRC Canada would recognize a victim placed in USA began in Westport, CT).
It could be someone tried to make a duck blind. It’s not in a good place. I occasionally duck and goose hunt in the channel between Burying Hill and Sherwood Island but out by the end of the breakwater.
Now it’s clear! It is the beginning of the Trump Wall!
There is more sand at Compo because of the two breakwaters, with more sand piling up near Schlaet’s Point as the currents deposit it there…the results of a study we did at Staples in the mid ’50’s before Schlaet’s Point was extended.
Hi , Love all the comment. My comment was fueled by the current reading of Nathaniel Philbrick’s “The Mayflower”. A riveting but haunting read !
Thanks Dan for doing a great job !