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The Conservancy regularly offers workshops and training courses taught by highly qualified instructors teaching internationally-accepted standards for the craft. Introductory two-day workshops are geared to three groups: those interested in careers as professional dry stone masons; those interested in building or restoring their own drystone fences and garden walls; and professional designers, engineers, inspectors and project owners who design and oversee drystone masonry restoration projects. Conservancy workshops involve hands-on instruction in the fundamental structural techniques involved in building a durable early Kentucky rock fence or retaining wall. Courses include a classroom component where participants learn the history and uses of drystone walls, the fundamentals techniques of drystone construction and the opportunities available for restoration and new construction. After viewing a brief training video participants then proceed to the workshop site to dismantle and fully restore a failed section of historic stone wall. A training manual is provided for all workshop participants.

Workshop Experience

Introductory training workshops sponsored by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Kentucky Heritage Council were first conducted by the Dry Stone Conservancy in 1995 and 1996 to pre-qualify masons interested in bidding rock fence work for the Paris Pike widening project. Shortly thereafter, Kentucky State Parks sponsored two training courses at Fort Harrod to restore their fences and train local masons for future work.

Since 1996, the DSC has conducted dozens of additional introductory training courses for amateurs, professional masons and design professionals in the following Kentucky and beyond.

Clip from Walls of Stone video

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INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOPS HELD IN KENTUCKY
(1996-2007)

Shaker Village Historic Fence Workshop, Mercer County.
Auvergne Farm Historic Fence Workshop, Bourbon County.
William Crow Property, Kentucky 52 Historic Fence Workshop, Boyle County.
Christman’s Mill Road, Historic Fence Workshop, Boyle County.
McConnell Springs Historic Fence Workshops, Fayette County.
Raven’s Run Historic Fence Workshops, Fayette County.
Kentucky Horse Park New Fence Workshop, KyTC D.B.E., Fayette County
Wolf Run Creek Retaining Wall Workshops and Mason Training, Fayette County.
Old Frankfort Pike Historic Fence Workshop, Fayette County.
Leestown Pike Historic Fence Workshop, Fayette County.
Bryan’s Station Pike Workshop, Fayette County.
UK/LFUCG Arboretum Workshop, Fayette County.
West Hickman Creek Retaining Wall Mason Training, Fayette County.
Fort Hill Park Historic Fence Workshop, Franklin County.
Peak’s Mill Historic Fence Workshop, Franklin County.
Locust Grove Historic Retaining Wall Workshop, Jefferson County.
Widow’s Watch Golf Course Historic Fence Workshop, Jessamine County.
Cavalier Farm Historic Fence Workshops, Jessamine County.
Taylormade Farms Historic Fence Workshops, Jessamine County.
Logan Hubble Park New Fence Workshops, Lincoln County.
Beaumont Inn Historic Retaining Wall Workshop, Mercer County.
Greenville Springs Historic Rock Fence Workshop, Mercer County.
Fort Harrod Historic Fence Workshop, Mercer County.
Shakertown Historic Fence Workshop, Mercer County.
Robert Hall Farm Historic Fence Workshops, Scott County.
Cardome Center Historic Fence Workshops, Scott County.
Shelby County Campus, Jefferson Community College, Shelby County.
Parkers Landing, Washington County.
Moore’s Mill Road Historic Fence Workshop, Woodford County.
Pisgah Pike Historic Fence Workshops, Woodford County.
Spring Station Pike Historic Fence Workshops, Woodford County.

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INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOPS HELD NATIONWIDE
(1996-2007)

Rest Haven Cemetery, Stone Wall Renovation, Franklin, TN
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Channel IslandsNational Park, California.
Colorado National Monument, Colorado.
Tallgrass Prairie National Park, Kansas.
AcadiaNational Park, Maine.
Blandair Estate, Preservation Trades Network IPTW, Maryland.
Minnesota Arboretum, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Grand Tetons National Park, Montana.
Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County, Tennessee.
Big Bend National Park, Texas.
Harper’s Ferry, Historic Preservation Training Center, Virginia.

Mason Training Partnerhsips / Project Management listed here.