The Rollstone Boulder

While visiting Fitchburg, Massachusetts, you might have spotted a ginormous boulder on your way into town. Weighing in at 110 tons, the Rollstone Boulder is a glacial erratic that migrated from southern New Hampshire to our very own town of Fitchburg. Moreover, the boulder was blown up so it could later be moved, reconstructed, and preserved. The rock has now become an iconic site for the city and can be found on a traffic island in downtown Fitchburg.

History of the Boulder

Before settling down on a small traffic island in the middle of a busy intersection in the town of Fitchburg, the Rollstone Boulder had traveled far and wide throughout the region of New England. You see, The Rollstone Boulder is a glacial erratic, meaning it was moved by a glacier. During the ice age, the boulder migrated over from southern New Hampshire to Rollstone Hill In Fitchburg, Massachusetts. 

When it was located at the summit of Rollstone Hill, the boulder was a popular destination for hikers and picnickers. As time went on, the boulder started to break down due to the effects of erosion and elements from local quarrying. When the Rollstone boulder was in danger of breaking apart in 1929, the mayor ordered the quarry to cease operations so the boulder could be moved.

In order to successfully preserve the boulder, it had to be blown up and reassembled in a new location. After the stone was broken into multiple pieces using numerous explosive blasts, the pieces were transported to the city’s Upper Common to be reassembled by local stonemason, J. Marc Leblanc. 

After many months of trying to assemble the pieces of the boulder, the rock still lay unassembled. It was decided that the best course of action would be to discard the inside and only reassemble the outside of the stone. Finally, in 1930, the Rollstone boulder was restored. Following its restoration, the Fitchburg Historical Society would place the plaque near it. The inscription on the plaque says: 

“This boulder, carried by the last glacier from Mt. Monadnock, New Hampshire to the summit of the hill whose name commemorates it, was for centuries a land mark to Indian and Settler. Threatened with destruction by quarrying operations, it was saved by popular subscription and reassembled here. 1920–1930” (Patowary, 2015, p. 10)  

Impact of the Boulder

As of the present day, the boulder is now technically a piece of art. This is mainly due to the fact that it has an artificial inside and that it was reconstructed. Not only it is a piece of art, but it also has become quite the mascot to the town of Fitchburg. Many local attractions were created in its honor, including the Boulder Art Gallery and The Boulder Cafe. Alongside that, there is also a Rock Walk, which is held twice a year. This walk leads tourists from the boulder back to its original location on Rollstone Hill. 

Recent Discovery

On December 4, 2022, new information surrounding the Rollstone Boulder was discovered. The information regarded four drawings that were done by Fitchburg’s Engineering Department. These drawings were used as instructions back in the day in order to reassemble the Rollstone Boulder after it was brought down to the Upper Common from Rollstone Hill. As a result of this new discovery, we are now well aware that drawings were used to reconstruct the Rollstone Boulder back to its former glory. 

Fitchburg Boulder Song

In addition to the many pieces of art that were dedicated to the glacial erratic, “The Boulder” is a song that was written about Fitchburg’s Rollstone Boulder. The song was written by Madeline Gaylor, an organist and choir director at the First Parish Church.

Listed below are the lyrics for the song:

I sit at the Upper Common

Where anyone who passes can see

That a boulder shouldn’t be allowed to moulder

For I belong to Fitchburg History

I am the Rollstone Boulder

I’m a hundred ten tons of rock

I am a porphyritic granite and the Fitchburg Folks said damit

We must get him out of hock

I am the Rollstone Boulder

I’m as famous as a rock can be

When skies are black with trouble folks coming running on the double

Just to look at rugged old me

For he belongs to Fitchburg History

Scroll down to Additional Information in order to hear a recreation of Madeline Gaylor's song.

Citations 

1.  kensears37. (2014, December 19). Rollstone Boulder. Atlas Obscura. Retrieved November 2, 2022, from https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rollstone-boulder 
2. Fitchburg, MA - Rollstone boulder: Blown up, reassembled. RoadsideAmerica.com. (n.d.). Retrieved November 2, 2022, from https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/61599
3. Patowary, K. (2021, March 15). Rollstone Boulder: The rock that was exploded in order to preserve. Amusing Planet. Retrieved November 2, 2022, from https://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/10/rollstone-boulder-rock-that-was.html 
4. Chronicle 5 WCVB. (2022, June 23). A beloved boulder in Fitchburg, Massachusetts has an intriguing history {Video}. Youtube. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnspkvkJmYM&t=36s. 
5. Whitney, Fayne (Ruth). The Boulder. Fitchburg Historical Society. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://fitchburg.pastperfectonline.com/Archive/D3800AD0-8E68-4569-8474-698811889536 
6. Capodagli, Peter. (2022, December 4). On a rare occasion, one comes across some historical information that is absolutely incredible. {Image Attached}. {Status Update}. Facebook.