ART/ARCHITECTURE; Monuments of Stone, Testaments to an Island (original) (raw)
Arts|ART/ARCHITECTURE; Monuments of Stone, Testaments to an Island
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ART/ARCHITECTURE
- May 9, 1999
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May 9, 1999
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Section 2, Page
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TODAY the residents of Vinalhaven Island, Me., nestled in Penobscot Bay some 15 miles off Rockland, boast of their lobstering industry and an aversion to tourists. But nearly a century ago, the tiny island, roughly nine miles long and five miles wide, had another source of pride: its cliffs and knolls provided the granite for some of the nation's most imposing structures, among them the Brooklyn Bridge, the United States Custom House and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York.
The history of the island's quarries, and specifically the erection of eight monumental columns in the cathedral's sanctuary, are the subject of an exhibition lining the cathedral's photography wall. ''The Eight Columns of Worship: A Tribute to Human Ingenuity and Faith'' tells the story behind the buildings that stand as a testament to the majesty and endurance of Vinalhaven granite. And though the photographs and artifacts are on view only through next Sunday, the structures themselves will live on as a kind of three-dimensional exhibit -- one that is being documented anew by Chester Higgins Jr., a photographer for The New York Times and an occasional visitor to the island.
''My love for stone comes from my love for ancient Egyptian architecture,'' Mr. Higgins said. ''While visiting the island I heard that they had these quarries, and through my research I discovered that so much of the stuff that came from the island landed in New York. I was fascinated.''
He set out to photograph the stone monuments whose impact on society transcended time but whose architectural style fell out of favor after only a few decades.
''The use of steel and reinforced concrete replaced the massive granite buildings,'' said Roy Heisler of the Vinalhaven Historical Society, where the exhibition originated. ''The importance is the legacy of the stones, and the great buildings that were produced with them.''
Settled by fishermen in the late 18th century, Vinalhaven reached its population peak (2,855) in 1880, when the quarries employed some 1,500 men from New England, Canada and Britain.
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