Silent Witnesses

Pelham Bay on the east coast of the Bronx is the largest park in New York City and it is home to some of the most impressive glacial erratics in the Northeast. The large boulders were deposited during the last ice age some 15,000 years ago and they have not moved since. Boulder fields are not an uncommon occurrence; however, the concentration and size of the stones in Pelham Bay is unique. Throughout the world stones hold a place in mythology and folklore and these are no different. Over the centuries different stones in Pelham Bay have acquired legends of their own. The Grey Mare and Mishow boulders were said to be sacred to the Native Americans living in the area. According to legend, Split Rock is the place where Anne Hutchinson and her family met their terrible fate. Several of the largest stones served as landmarks during the Revolutionary War and have since become monuments to important battles. Today there continues to be a relationship between locals and the stones but it is not nearly as reverent as in times past. The graffiti and paint splatters are marks of modern times but on such timeless canvases they seem more reminiscent of ancient cave paintings.

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