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This exhibit examines the story and development of the sandstone formation in Wallace, Nova Scotia.
Beginning with an introduction to Wallace, Nova Scotia, this study tells the story of the nearly 200 years of sandstone quarrying at Wallace and Wallace River.
Starting in 1811, Wallace stone has been used in buildings in at least nine Canadian provinces and several American states, including Massachusetts, New York, and California. Its beauty, durability and access to shipping made it a prize for building contractors.
The second storyline of this study looks at the geological information about the formation of the Wallace area sandstone.
Next, the study examines the first methods and the tools used to extract the stone. Information for the project comes from both written and oral histories.
The storylines then explore work at the Wallace River site and the Wallace village quarries. Next, the storylines looks at monuments and buildings that have used sandstone from Wallace.
It would be virtually impossible to tell all the stories and catalogue all the buildings associated with the sandstone of Wallace. However the one thing that endures throughout is the beauty the stone gives to any construction, whether it’s a bridge in Central Park, New York, or the entrance to the Canadian Parliament Peace Tower in Ottawa.
